All

24 Vintage Photos That Perfectly Capture 1935

Published

•

By  

Split image: Left side shows a group of five children and three adults posing on brownstone steps, some smiling. Right side is a black-and-white photo of a young boy shouting, surrounded by children, some with plates.
Via Anonymous881

1935 was a year that was caught between two worlds. There were the lingering hardships of the Great Depression and then the stirrings of a modern and hopeful America. As radio broadcasts swept through homes and swing music rang out from dance halls, people found themselves overcome with joy in the simple pleasures of everyday life.

This collection of 24 vintage photos is able to capture the textures, expressions, and moments that defined this particularly pivotal year.

1. A settler family out in Finland

A black-and-white photo of a family standing outside a log cabin. A woman holds two infants, while a man stands beside four small children, all wearing old-fashioned clothing and hats. A wooden wagon wheel is visible in the background.
anonymous919/via reddit.com

2. New York City at night, circa 1935

A silhouette of a worker sits on a steel beam high above a brightly lit New York City skyline at night, with tall buildings and glowing lights spread out below.
deleted/via reddit.com

3. Passengers aboard an Eastern Airlines flight

Black and white photo of passengers dressed in 1930s-style clothing sitting in an airplane cabin. Some are reading magazines while others look out or ahead, with a flight attendant standing at the back.
malibuhuladuck/via reddit.com

4. The whole family gathered arond back in 1935

A black-and-white photo of six people outdoors: three adults and a baby sit on chairs, with two children standing behind them, all dressed in early 20th-century clothing, posing in a garden with a wooden fence and trellis.
willowcreekwanderer/via reddit.com

5. 115 Jay Street, Brooklyn, 1935

Four adults and three children pose on the steps of a brick building. Two women stand on either side, a man in a hat stands in the center, and three children sit together on the steps in front of them.
stumpjungle/via reddit.com

Trending on The Scroller

6. The champion watermelon eater out at the 4th of July parade

A young boy stands smiling with a slice of watermelon, surrounded by other children, some eating watermelon, all wearing old-fashioned, worn clothes in a black-and-white photo.
cryptographerkey2487/via reddit.com

7. Nothing as magical as Paris at night back in 1935

Black-and-white photo of a rainy street at night in Paris, with vintage cars parked and bright neon signs for cinemas and Ovomaltine illuminating the wet pavement. Two blurred figures walk along the sidewalk.
gagator43/via reddit.com

8. The first airline traffic control center in Newark, New Jersey

A vintage black and white photo shows an old twin-propeller airplane parked on the tarmac in front of a large, two-story airport terminal building.
myipodstillworks/via reddit.com

9. A couple young residents of Amite City, Louisiana, 1935

Two young women in patterned dresses sit on a stoop in front of wooden shutters. One looks at the camera while holding hands with the other, who gazes thoughtfully to the side.
47toolate/via reddit.com

10. Just a couple lads cruising around in their truck back in the day, 1935

A man wearing a hat and gloves smokes a cigarette while sitting behind the wheel of an old truck, looking out the open window. Another person is partially visible in the passenger seat.
mydoggoldi/via reddit.com

11. A bagel salesman in Poland, 1935

A man wearing a flat cap holds up a string of bagels at an outdoor market stall, with piles of bagels in front of him and a brick wall in the background.
thecoolestguyonearth/via reddit.com

12. William Linton hanging out with his granddaughters back in 1935

A man sits on the bumper of a vintage car with two young children on the hood, all smiling. They are outdoors on a dirt road beside a wooden house, with hills and trees in the background.
catinmyshoe/via reddit.com

13. Students at Eastern High School, Washington, D.C., 1935

A black-and-white photo of a group of young men and women posing in several rows on brick steps in front of a brick school building, wearing 1930s-style clothing and hairstyles.
deleted/via reddit.com

14. A tug boat pulls a ship off Lake Michigan

A black-and-white photo shows a tugboat emitting smoke as it navigates through icy waters near a large ship, with tall buildings and a city skyline in the background.
myipodstillworks/via reddit.com

15. Soup testing at Campbell’s in Camden, New Jersey

Five chefs in white uniforms and hats prepare large vats of tomato sauce or soup in an industrial kitchen, stirring and tasting as steam rises from the pots.
axlcobainvedder/via reddit.com

16. Garrett County, Maryland, 19345

Four men and a young boy stand in front of a weathered wooden building. The boy, wearing overalls, pets a small goat. The men wear hats and work clothes, appearing relaxed. The setting looks rustic and old-fashioned.
myipodstillworks/via reddit.com

17. Louisiana back in 1935

Three women sit outdoors by a wire fence; one plays a stringed instrument while the other two sit close and listen, all wearing dresses and jackets, with grass visible in the background.
paz2203/via reddit.com

18. Hershey kisses being individually wrapped, circa 1935

Four women in white uniforms and hairnets pack Hershey’s Kisses chocolates into boxes at a factory assembly line; large containers and stacked boxes are visible in the background.
johnnylgarfield/via reddit.com

19. At a textile mill in Vienna, Austria, 1935

Two women work at a large table in a textile or fabric shop, surrounded by rolls of fabric, shelves filled with materials, and boxes. The setting appears organized and industrial, with hanging lights above.
catinmyshoe/via reddit.com

20. A stunning shot of Paris back in 1935

A person sweeps a narrow, empty city street with a broom on a bright day, casting long shadows. Two other figures walk in the distance, framed by tall buildings on both sides.
deleted/via reddit.com

21. Fossil downs homstead back in 1935

Three people sit and stand in a sunlit, enclosed patio with stone flooring and wicker furniture. A small dog lies under the table, and two women wear plaid dresses while a man sits relaxed in boots and rolled-up sleeves.
lampouluza/via reddit.com

22. Casey, Iowa, USA, 1935

Black and white photo of a small town street from the early 20th century, showing brick buildings, vintage cars parked along the road, and a few people walking on the sidewalk.
B_O_A_H/via reddit.com

23. A couple of old friends looking exceptionally joyful, circa 1935

Two men stand side by side outdoors on a sidewalk in front of a house. One wears a hat and leather jacket; the other wears a suit. The scene appears to be from the mid-20th century.
ancestrytimes/via reddit.com

24. A living room out in West Virgina, circa 1935

A young boy sits barefoot on a wooden chair in a rustic, cluttered room with wooden walls, a cabinet, and a table. The walls are decorated with posters, including a Santa Claus and smiling women. Light enters from the right.
ababganoush/via reddit.com

Explore more vintage content:

1935 was a year of resilience, innovation, and profound cultural moments—and these vintage photos offer a striking glimpse into that transformative time. From shifting fashion trends to snapshots of everyday life during the Great Depression, these images bring history vividly to life. If you enjoyed this collection, explore more moments frozen in time with our features on 25 Vintage Photos of the Early to Mid-1930s and 20 Colorized Photos of the Early to the Mid-1930s.

Tags:

,

Meet the Writer


Matt Staff

Matt has spent over the last 8 years as both a writer and editor, working in Seattle and Brooklyn, where he is now based. He loves escaping the tirelessly fast pace of the “Mad Apple” that is NYC by taking walks and runs through parks where he’s able to catch up on the latest tea about society from the city’s ever chatty, always hungry, occasionally maniacal, pigeons. They always have a lot to say. When he’s not taking his urban nature strolls, or dutifully combing the deepest rabbit holes of the internet to find the content that’s worth sinking your mind’s teeth into, he’s likely holed up at a dark-lit dive bar with a new book and/or some friends, or just as easily he could be on the hunt for the next addition to his steadily growing plant family.

These days Matt’s caught up in trying to provide folks as many vivid glimpses into the days long since passed as he can, through fun and engaging collections of hand-picked vintage photos.



More Posts From AllView All