Close menu

25 Colorized Photos From The Mid-1890s

History Vintage Photos June 10, 2025

Last Updated on June 10, 2025 by Matt Staff

The mid-1890s was a distinct time in history, straddling the twilight of the Victorian era, and also the dawn of the electric age. It was a time when both bustling city avenues and also rural byways hummed onward with new possibilities. This collection of 25 colorized photos is able to wash away that colorless sepia haze, and instill newfound life into various moments from such an interesting time in human history.

1. A crew member of the U.S.S. Chicago in 1895

A sailor in a blue naval uniform and cap stands beside a large naval artillery gun on a ship, resting one hand on the gun’s mechanism and looking at the camera.
morganmonroe81

2. A Yacht Defender in the mid-1890s

A vintage sailboat with a large mast and sails glides on the water, crewed by men in white uniforms. One man steps from the boat into a small rowboat beside it. The scene suggests a historic yacht race or expedition.
chickentorch

3. A solid musical gathering indeed, 1895

A group of men, women, and children pose outside rustic log cabins. Some men hold musical instruments. A dog sits nearby. The text “Stevens Minstrels” appears at the bottom of the image.
foldweg

4. The East Side in New York in the mid-1890s

Three vintage photos show a bustling outdoor market on a city street. Crowds of people, vendor stalls, carts, and awnings line the street, with multi-story buildings in the background.
mentalgymnastics

5. Butch Cassidy entering the Wyoming Territorial Prison in 1894

A young man with short, light brown hair wears a dark jacket over a pale yellow shirt. He has a serious expression and looks directly at the camera against a plain, muted background.
anonymous

6. Her eyes seem to have some stories behind them

A woman with fair skin and dark hair looks pensively to the side against a dark background, wearing a brown garment draped over her shoulders.
Screenshot

7. An unknown child holding some flowers back in the mid-1890s

A young girl with dark hair and white bows, wearing a maroon dress with black buttons, stands outdoors holding a basket of white flowers and looking directly at the camera.
deleted

8. Tsar Nicholas II of Russia in the mid-1890s

A man with a mustache and beard stands against a green backdrop, wearing an ornate dark military uniform decorated with medals, gold embroidery, and epaulets, holding a ceremonial sword in front of him.
brazuchris

9. Kind of an unforgettably gritty look going on here from this guy in 1895

A bearded man in a fur-collared dark coat and blue tie stands indoors, holding a black hat in one hand. Behind him are a painting, a model ship, and wood-paneled walls.
memorylanepr

10. Locomotive repaired in a workshop out in Chile in the mid-1890s

A group of men in late 19th-century attire pose around and on top of a steam locomotive under a large, partially enclosed structure with a glass roof. Most of the men wear suits, while a few wear uniforms and hats.
deleted

11. Maude Adams in the mid-1890s

A young woman with long, wavy brown hair and blue eyes gazes at the camera. She wears a striped, colorful garment and has small flowers or berries in her hair. The image has a vintage, hand-colored look.
Screenshot

12. Clancy’s Saloon in Skagway, Alaska

A muddy street in a small frontier town lined with wooden buildings, including Clancy’s Saloon. Groups of people in period clothing gather along the street, and leafless trees fill the background.
angelinaretro

13. The Lumière Brothers in Lyon in 1895

Two older men with gray hair are in a dimly lit room; one is seated examining something under a microscope, while the other stands beside him, pointing or discussing the findings. Shelves with drawers fill the background.
spongebobdoesnotexist

14. Bellevue Hospital in 1895 New York

A vintage black ambulance carriage marked "Bellevue Hospital" is parked on a city street, drawn by a horse. A uniformed man steps onto the carriage holding a medical bag, while others stand nearby.
anamarcorporatte

15. Boston in the mid-1890s

A vintage photo of eight men with mustaches, dressed in old-fashioned attire and hats, posing with wooden tennis rackets against a stone wall. Four are seated in front, and four are standing behind them.
philippepattersonstl

16. Mabel Payson in the mid-1890s

A young woman with bright blue eyes and brown hair styled up, wearing a white lace Victorian-style dress with puffed sleeves and a high collar, posing against a dark, plain background.
deleted

17. Talk about a lovely little gentleman dog in the mid-1890s

A black dog wearing a top hat, a suit, and a large bowtie, with a decorated pipe in its mouth, posed against a plain background in a humorous, vintage-style portrait.
deleted

18. Nikola Tesla, circa 1893

A young man with dark, neatly combed hair and a mustache, wearing a high-collared shirt and dark suit, poses for a formal portrait against a neutral background.
sarinha

19. The Wedding of George V

A formal portrait of eleven women and girls in white dresses with floral decorations, gathered around a man in a navy ceremonial uniform, all posing on a patterned carpet in an ornate room.
dizzymissy

20. The Harvard Astronomical Observatory in 1891

A group of women and one man work in a Victorian-era office, reading documents and writing at desks. The room has patterned wallpaper, framed pictures, and shelves filled with books and papers.
jaredanderseon

21. Booker T. Washington in 1895

A distinguished man in a gray three-piece suit sits against a dark purple background, looking slightly to the side. He has short hair with some gray and a calm, serious expression.
wtstephens

22. Montparnesse Derailment in 1895

A steam locomotive has crashed through a station wall, hanging vertically with its front end smashed on the street below, debris and rubble scattered around the scene.
danknesslevelswild

23. Two kids in holiday dress in Chinatown, San Francisco

Two young children in traditional Chinese clothing walk hand-in-hand down a narrow, dimly lit street lined with buildings and red lanterns, with a few pedestrians visible in the background.
baptistepierre

24. The Hatfield Family in the mid-1890s

A group of men, women, and children pose in front of a rustic wooden building; some adults hold rifles and pistols, while a dog sits in the foreground with children seated on the ground.
anonymous

25. Below decks and aboard the U.S.S. Brooklyn

A group of sailors and workers, some in uniform and others in work clothes, gather in a cramped, industrial ship corridor. Some men sit or lean casually, while two play guitars, creating a relaxed, communal atmosphere.
mentalolympics

Explore more vintage content:

Hungry for even more Victorian-era vibrance? Stroll backward a decade to 35 Vintage Photos From The Early 1880s. Then, fast-forward to the cusp of a new century with 20 Colorized Photos From The Early 1920s.

Tags:

About Author

You May Also Like

Left: Children play in water from a fire hydrant on a city sidewalk. Right: Several smiling kids and a woman crowd into a phone booth on a busy urban street.
Lifestyle Vintage Photos
20 Everyday Things 60s Kids Did That Are Now Obsolete
Two side-by-side images: the left features a coastal landscape with turquoise waters and a blue sky, with the text "They spent all their money on one trip." The right shows a close-up of the moon with the text "They bought land on the moon.
History Bizarre Lifestyle Money
15 Of The Dumbest Things Lottery Winners Have Spent Their Money On