50 Iconic and Rare Historical Photographs

We at HistoryColored have decided to curate 50 interesting, rare and iconic photos from history. There are many reasons why a photograph may be featured on this list. Some of the reasons include: it was the first time something was ever captured on camera, it shows a famous figure from history, the image depicts an important historical event, it is a “rare” photo that does not get shared as much as it should, or it is an “iconic” historical photo. It may not fall under any of these categories but can still be featured in this list for a different reason.

These photographs are in no particular order. They have been curated and added to the list over a long period of time, so no decision was taken on how they should be ordered. Be sure to take the time to check out every historical photograph featured on this list!

As well as this list, be sure to check out the other photos featured on HistoryColored!

1. The First Photograph Ever Taken, 1826 or 1827

The first photograph in history, the view from a window at Le Gras in 1826 or 1827.
The oldest surviving photograph to exist. It was taken by pioneer photographer, Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. The scene depicts a view from a window in Nicéphore Niépce’s estate known as Le Gras in Saint-Loup-de-Varennes, Bourgogne, France in 1826 or 1827. Credit: Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

2. General William Tecumseh Sherman, circa 1865

Side profile photograph of General William Tecumseh Sherman in his Union Army military uniform in c. 1865
Side profile of Union Army Major General, and the Commanding General of the US Army, William Tecumseh Sherman, in his Union Army military uniform in circa 1865. Credit: Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

3. Dali Atomicus, 1948

Salvador Dali suspended in mid air along with other objects within the iconic photograph Dali Atomicus taken in 1948
The photographic artwork by Philippe Halsman called “Dali Atomicus” showing three cats water, an easel, a chair, and Salvador Dalí all frozen in mid-air, 1948. This was the 28th attempt at taking this photograph. Credit: Library of Congress // Public Domain

4. The Solvay Conference on Quantum Mechanics, 1927

Key attendees of the 1927 Solvay conference photographed sitting down and in suits. The names are Auguste Piccard, Émile Henriot, Paul Ehrenfest, Édouard Herzen, Théophile de Donder, Erwin Schrödinger, Jules-Émile Verschaffelt, Wolfgang Pauli, Werner Heisenberg, Ralph Howard Fowler, Léon Brillouin,
Peter Debye, Martin Knudsen, William Lawrence Bragg, Hendrik Anthony Kramers, Paul Dirac, Arthur Compton, Louis de Broglie, Max Born, Niels Bohr,
Irving Langmuir, Max Planck, Marie Skłodowska Curie, Hendrik Lorentz, Albert Einstein, Paul Langevin, Charles Eugène Guye, Charles Thomson Rees Wilson, Owen Willans Richardson
The 1927 Solvay Conference on Quantum Mechanics at the Institut International de Physique Solvay in Brussels, Belgium. This image features many of the greatest scientists in modern history. Some of those that you may recognize are: Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Max Planck, Niels Bohr, and Auguste Piccard. See the full list of names here. Credit: Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

5. King George V & Tsar Nicholas II Together, 1913

Nicholas II of Russia photographed alongside similar looking and cousin King George V of the United Kingdom, while wearing military uniform.
First cousins and royals Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (left) & King George V of the United Kingdom (right) photographed together wearing military uniforms in Berlin, Germany, 1913. Credit: Library of Congress // Public Domain

6. The Manhattan Bridge Under Construction, 1909

Photographs of the Manhattan Bridge under construction. You can see the layout of the bridge but there is still a lot to build. March 23 1909.
The construction of the Manhattan Bridge on the East River in New York City. This photograph was taken on March 23, 1909. The bridge finished construction in 1909 and first opened up on the 31st of December 1909. Credit: Library of Congress // Public Domain

7. Soviet Prisoner of War, 1940

An injured Prisoner of War from the Soviet Union with a bandage around his bloody head, with clothing wrapped around his body. He looks cold as he is near the Arctic Circle where temperatures can get to -43 degrees Celsius
An injured Soviet Prisoner of War (POW) dressed in new clothes near the Arctic Circle in Rovaniemi, Finland, during the Winter War on the 6th of January 1940. Credit: Military Museum of Finland // CC BY 4.0

8. Dr. Wernher von Braun with 5 F-1 Engines

Aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun standing next to five F-1 rocket engines in 1969.
Dr. Wernher von Braun, an aerospace engineer that was a leading figure in Nazi German rocket technology, and then United States rocket technology, photographed standing in front of five F-1 rocket engines in circa 1969. Credit: Wikimedia Commons // Public Domains

I Came Home to Find My Kids Outside with Packed Bags, It Was the Hardest Day of My Life

out here with your stuff?”

Jake glanced at his little sister, Emily, who clutched her stuffed rabbit tightly. “You texted us,” he continued, his voice soft. “You said to pack and wait for Dad. He was coming to get us.”

I froze, confusion giving way to panic. “I never sent you a text. Let me see your phone.”

Jake handed me his phone, and as I read the message, my blood ran cold.

“This is your mom. Pack your stuff, take the cash I left, and wait for Dad. He’ll be there soon.”

The words blurred in front of me. I hadn’t sent that message. I’d never tell them to leave. My heart pounded, and a wave of nausea swept over me.

“Mom?” Emily’s voice broke through my panic. Her wide blue eyes searched mine. “Are we going with Dad?”

“No, sweetheart,” I said firmly. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Just as I stood up, trying to figure out what to do, I heard the rumble of a car pulling into the driveway. My blood froze. I turned slowly to see who was behind the wheel.

It was him—Lewis, my ex-husband.

“Kids,” I said, keeping my voice low and steady. “Go inside. Now.”

Jake and Emily hesitated for a moment before grabbing their bags and retreating into the house. I turned to face Lewis, who had already stepped out of his car, wearing that same smug expression I’d grown to despise.

“Well, well,” he sneered. “Leaving the kids alone like this? Great parenting.”

“Are you serious?” I snapped, stepping toward him, my body trembling with anger. “You told them to pack up and wait for you. What are you trying to pull, Lewis?”

He leaned against his car, arms crossed, feigning innocence. “Just looking out for their safety. Maybe if you can’t handle things, they’d be better off with me.”

My anger boiled over. “You lost custody for a reason. Don’t forget that.”

His smirk grew wider. “Maybe that was a mistake.”

Before I could say another word, the front door creaked open. Jake and Emily stood in the doorway, tears streaking their faces, fear written all over them.

“Stop fighting!” Jake’s voice cracked as he pleaded. “Please, Mom. Please, Dad. Stop.”

Seeing their distress, Lewis shrugged, clearly unfazed. Without another word, he got back into his car and sped off, leaving me to pick up the pieces.

As I stood there, watching him disappear down the street, something shifted inside me. I had held it together for the kids, but deep down, I knew this wasn’t over. Lewis wasn’t going to stop. He would keep manipulating them, keep trying to twist the situation in his favor. I had to outsmart him.

I pulled my children into my arms, their tears soaking into my shirt. I made a silent vow to protect them, no matter what it took. I wouldn’t let Lewis turn them against me or make himself the hero in this mess.

I had heard rumors about his new girlfriend, Lisa—a woman who, like everyone else, believed Lewis’s lies about me. He had painted me as the “crazy ex-wife,” the unreasonable one who wouldn’t let him be part of his kids’ lives. But now, I had proof. The fake texts, the custody rulings, years of manipulation—all of it was about to come to light.

Determined, I gathered every piece of evidence I had—messages, legal documents, anything that could expose Lewis for the liar he was. I didn’t want revenge, but I wanted the truth to be known.

I reached out to Lisa, asking if we could meet in private. Surprisingly, she agreed. When we sat down together, I could see the hesitation in her eyes. She was guarded, ready to defend him. But I didn’t approach her with anger. Instead, I calmly laid out the facts, handing her the phone with the fake messages and the legal documents detailing the custody arrangement.

“Look,” I said, my voice steady. “I know what he’s told you about me, but this is the truth.”

Lisa’s eyes widened as she read through the evidence, her confidence wavering. I could see the gears turning in her head, the doubt creeping in.

“I’m not here to ruin your relationship,” I continued. “But I thought you deserved to know who he really is. He’s been manipulating you, just like he manipulated me.”

Lisa glanced up, conflicted. She tried to defend him at first. “He said you were difficult, that you wouldn’t let him see the kids…”

“I’m sure he did,” I said gently. “But the facts speak for themselves.”

She didn’t say much after that, but I could tell she was starting to question everything. It was only a matter of time before she’d realize the truth.

A few weeks later, I heard through a mutual friend that Lisa and Lewis’s relationship was crumbling. She had started confronting him about the lies, and their once-solid bond was unraveling. Small cracks turned into gaping holes, and the web of deception he had spun around her was falling apart.

I didn’t have to lift another finger. The truth had done the work for me.

I didn’t get revenge in the traditional sense, but I got something better—justice. Lewis’s manipulative games had finally caught up with him, and his house of cards was collapsing. It was all I had ever wanted.

And that was enough.

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