In 1916, the pace of life felt slower, yet the world itself was changing extremely fast. City streets were filled with a mix of new machines and familiar routines, while families and workers went about their days just like generations before.
These photos capture the surroundings and small details that bring the past to life. Looking at them today is like opening a window to another world, but the experiences and traditions continue to echo in the present. Let’s dive into 20 photos from 1916.
1. A suffragette showing off her pants, which were considered immoral for women at the time
2. A gunner mans his post in a trench near Ollivers, France, 1916
3. Sporting her new electric scooter, 1916
4. Adaline and Augusta Van Buren, the first women to travel across the country on two motorcycles
5. Strolling the streets of Manhattan in style
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6. This 6-year-old was the champion of his county pie-eating contest
7. Nikola Tesla in his New York office in 1916
8. Being helped out of a BL-15 heavy gun after cleaning the barrel, 1916
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9. “A street gang in Springfield, Massachusetts, 1916.”
10. Finnish photographer Hildur Sammallahti, taking a selfie on his wedding day, 1916
11. Soldiers showing off the mask for their mule, 1916
12. Manfred von Richtofen petting his dog on the airfield, 1916
13. A Champaign inspector with her protective mask, 1916
14. J.R.R Tolkien, while in the Army, 1916
15. Charlie Chaplin, 1916
16. Shells from a 105mm, from an Allied bombardment, 1916
17. Scottish soldiers having some fun, 1916
18. Newlyweds on their new Indian motorcycle, 1916
19. Cowboys at a rodeo in Colorado, 1916
20. A day in Saratoga Springs, New York, 1916
Want to see more vintage photos?
Check out 27 Vintage Photos From The First World War, or take a look at Throwback Thursday: 23 Vintage Photos That Embody The 1970s. Finally, if you want to see colorized photos from 1899, check out 26 Colorized Vintage Photos From 1899.
