Haunting historical photos and their hidden stories

There are some images that give you the chills, even if that wasn’t their intention. An innocent photograph can become unsettling when it is viewed out of context or through the lens of history. Why does it feel so eerie? What’s the backstory?

Throughout history, cameras have captured scenes that inspire awe, fear, and countless questions. Although the purpose of these unsettling images was not to frighten, their mysterious intricacies or forgotten pasts make them unforgettable.

 

Sometimes the revelation of the truth about them eases the tension, and other times it only adds complexity to the enigma. Are you ready to discover the stories behind these unsettling bits of history?

“Mountain of Bison Skulls,” Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library, 1892

 

This haunting photograph, taken in 1892 close to the Michigan Carbon Works in Rougeville, Michigan, captures a shocking historical moment. It shows an enormous stack of bison skulls collected for bone glue, fertilizer, and charcoal. This photograph is particularly unsettling since it tells a story about a major loss connected to colonialism and industrialization, in addition to the exploitation of natural resources.

At the start of the 19th century, there were between 30 and 60 million bison in North America. By the time this photo was taken, that number had dropped to a startling 456 wild bison. The once-thriving herds were wiped off in a brutal massacre brought on by the market demand for bison hides and bones as well as the westward movement of mankind. The ecology and culture were destroyed when most herds were eradicated between 1850 and the late 1870s.

The tall pile of bones in this picture represents not only corporate greed but also the strong connection that Indigenous Nations have with bison, which was brutally severed by this extensive destruction. The bones, stacked like a man-made mountain, blur the line between natural and artificial landscapes, leading photographer Edward Burtynsky to subsequently refer to them as “manufactured landscapes.”

Thanks to conservation efforts, there are currently approximately 31,000 wild bison roaming North America. This picture serves as a sobering reminder of how close we were to losing them entirely and provides a horrifying glimpse into a past shaped by choices that still affect us now.

 

 

Despite its somewhat eerie appearance, this mid-1950s photograph most likely captures a normal day in the lives of Norwegian singer Inger Jacobsen and her husband, Danish ventriloquist Jackie Hein Bülow Jantzen, better known by his stage as Jackie Bülow.

Jacobsen, a popular singer in Norway, even represented her country in the 1962 Eurovision Song Contest. Bülow delighted audiences with his unique charm and talent during a time when ventriloquism was booming, particularly on radio and the new medium of television.

The photo appears to be from a bygone era and offers a glimpse into a world that is completely different from our own. Ventriloquism hasn’t entirely disappeared, albeit being less common these days. As evidence of their skill and creativity, three ventriloquists—Paul Zerdin (2015), Terry Fator (2007), and Darci Lynne (2017)—even took home the America’s Got Talent title. It’s proof that, despite changes in the world, certain traditions manage to survive in unexpected ways.

The Sleeping Mummy Dealer (1875)

 

 

The mummies of ancient Egypt have captured people’s imaginations for almost 2,000 years, and humans have always been fascinated by them. But the account of how they were treated is strange and sometimes unsettling.

During the Middle Ages, Europeans exploited mummies in several ways, including as grinding them into powder to produce said medicinal treatments, turning them into torches due to their great burning efficiency, and even using them to treat ailments like broken bones and coughs. The false belief that mummies were embalmed with healing bitumen was the driving force behind this propensity. By the 19th century, people were still captivated by mummies, but they were no longer utilized medicinally.

Grave robbers fueled the demand for mummies, and traders transported them from Egypt to Europe and America, where the rich prized them. They served as status symbols or were used for studies. During the 1800s, one of the more peculiar customs was the “unwrapping party,” which conflated science with fun. Before curious onlookers, mummies were ceremoniously uncovered.

This image of a trader lounging around a stockpile of mummies illustrates how these ancient objects were transformed into commodities and utilized for everything from medical trials to drawing-room spectacles. It reminds us of how cultural resources were managed in the past and how important it is to preserve them now.

1953’s The Iron Lungs

Polio was one of the most dreaded illnesses in the world prior to vaccinations, crippling or killing thousands of people annually. With almost 58,000 cases documented, almost 21,000 persons left disabled, and 3,145 deaths, predominantly children, the 1952 outbreak was the worst in the United States. Instead of directly harming the lungs, polio damaged the spinal cord’s motor neurons, which cut off the brain’s connection to the breathing muscles.

Being confined to an iron lung—a mechanical respirator that forced air into their paralyzed lungs—was frequently necessary for the sickest patients to survive. Children battling for their lives were held in rows upon rows of these tall, cylindrical machines in hospitals. The terrible effects of polio are encapsulated in a single picture of these “mechanical lungs,” a terrifying reminder of the anxiety and uncertainty that engulfed families prior to the introduction of the vaccine in 1955.

Life was never the same, even for those who survived the iron lung, and they frequently suffered from long-lasting impairments. However, the image above, which shows unending rows of iron lungs, is a tribute to the epidemic’s human cost as well as the tenacity of those who battled to defeat it.

 

 

In addition to capturing a poignant moment of sadness, the eerie picture of Otylia Januszewska clutching her recently departed son, Aleksander, also alludes to the Victorian practice of post-mortem photography. This custom, which became well-liked in the middle of the 19th century, was a means of paying respect to the dead and maintaining a last, physical link to cherished ones, particularly in situations where the thought of dying seemed too much to handle.

The idea of contemplating mortality has ancient historical roots and is rooted in the idea of memento mori, which means “remember you must die.” Paintings representing death were common in the Middle Ages, and skeleton-themed items from older cultures provided a sobering but essential recognition of the frailty of life.

When photography first appeared in the 19th century, it was the ideal medium for creating intimate and personal reflections. With the advent of photography, families would try to preserve their departed loved ones by photographing them so that their faces would always be accessible. In addition to allowing the living to grieve, it also helped them form enduring bonds and a sense of connection that endures beyond death.

It’s interesting to note that when a loved one dies these days, we usually concentrate on honoring their life rather than facing the terrible truth of their passing—almost as if it’s frowned upon to bring it up openly. Victorians, on the other hand, welcomed death with enthusiasm and incorporated it into ceremonies that recognized its unavoidable existence.

A major component of that was post-mortem photography, which peaked in the 1860s and 1970s. Even though not all Victorians felt comfortable taking pictures of the deceased, the practice gained popularity, particularly in the UK, USA, and Europe, after photography was invented in the 1840s.

Maine, 1911: 9-year-old industrial worker Library of Congress

 

For many American working-class families in 1911, life consisted of putting in long hours, working hard, and finding any way to make ends meet.

A 9-year-old girl from Perry, Maine named Nan de Gallant saw summers as an opportunity to work at the Seacoast Canning Co. in Eastport, Maine. She was working long hours with her mother and two sisters, helping her family haul sardines, rather than playing with friends or running through fields.

Unfortunately, child labor was widespread in America in the early 20th century, particularly in sectors like agriculture, textiles, and canning. Every additional set of hands was helpful to families. But it meant giving up childhood for children like Nan. She began working at the age of nine, which was regrettably not out of the ordinary for kids in her age range at the time. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that in 1910, 18% of children aged 10 to 15 were employed.

A legislation that prohibited children under the age of 12 from working in manufacturing was in effect in Maine, but it did not apply to the canning industry, which produced perishable goods. Although the law was amended in 1911, it’s difficult to tell how much of an influence it had on Nan and other children.

In 1964, James Brock poured acid into the pool.

 

In order to stop black swimmers from accessing the Monson Motor Lodge pool, Motel Manager James Brock was shown in a terrifying photograph in 1964 pouring muriatic acid into it.

This action came when a group of black activists in St. Augustine, Florida, tried to integrate the segregated area. Brock made the decision to destroy the pool rather than permit equality.

Charles Moore’s photograph represents the bravery of individuals battling for civil rights as well as the pervasive bigotry of the day. It reminds us of how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go in the struggle for equality. It teaches us the value of resiliency, the strength of defiance, and the necessity of facing up to painful historical realities.

Miners of coal coming back from the depths (C.1900)

 

 

Belgian coal miners endured arduous underground labor in hazardous conditions to support the burgeoning industrial revolution in the early 1920s. They would cram themselves into a packed elevator after hours of exhausting work in the dark, finally making their way to daylight. How much they depended on one another to get through it was evident from the elevator’s creaking sound and the soft murmur of their voices.

Their features, smeared with coal dust, spoke of sacrifice and toil. Their pleasure in their work was evident in every crease and wrinkle, but it also revealed the toll the job took on them. Even at the expense of their health and safety, these men drove the industries that kept the world turning.

It served as a sharp reminder of the contrast between the mines’ darkness and the light above when they eventually emerged into the daylight. More significantly, though, it served as a reminder of their fortitude and tenacity. Together, they continued because they had each other. The core of their community was their camaraderie, which was formed via shared struggles; they overcame obstacles together, no matter what.

The fingertips of Alvin Karpis (1936)

 

 

Alvin “Creepy” Karpis was a prominent criminal from the 1930s who participated in high-profile kidnappings as a member of the Barker gang. He attempted to hide his identity when his fingerprints were found at two significant crimes in 1933.

In 1934, Chicago underworld physician Joseph “Doc” Moran performed cosmetic surgery on him and fellow gang member Fred Barker. Moran changed their mouths, chins, and noses. He even used cocaine to freeze their fingers so that their fingerprints could be scraped off.

Despite these attempts, Karpis was apprehended in New Orleans in 1936, given a life sentence, and imprisoned for more than 30 years, including time at Alcatraz. In 1969, he was granted parole.1930s Halloween attire, Public Domain / X

 

 

Communities started establishing customs like giving Halloween sweets, throwing costume parties, and setting up haunted homes to deter disruptive behavior during the Great Depression as violence and vandalism rose. Additionally, children’s costume options increased throughout this time, making the festivities more enjoyable.

Two men creating a death mask (c. 1908)

 

The use of death masks to maintain the deceased’s likeness has been around for a while. For instance, the ancient Egyptians made intricate masks to aid the deceased in navigating the afterlife. The foundation for later death masks was laid by the statues and busts of their forefathers made by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

The emphasis on realism in death masks distinguished them from other representations. These masks were intended to create a permanent homage by capturing the individual’s actual features, as opposed to idealized sculptures. Death masks were created for famous people like Napoleon, Lincoln, and Washington, and these were then utilized for statues and busts that immortalized them for a very long time.

Have you seen any pictures that caught your attention or have you missed any? How do you feel about all of these unsettling images? Which one had the biggest impact? Please feel free to leave your opinions in the Facebook comments section!

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