16 Historical Pictures That Feel Like A Treasure Chest Of Forgotten Lore

Photographs have this incredible ability to preserve the present and allow their future viewers to continue accessing the past. We’re truly fortunate to be able to get a glimpse of trillions of captured real moments that happened between this instance and the invention of photography.

We shouldn’t take that ever for granted, and that’s why we are featuring a list full of historical pictures from the Instagram account ‘The History House.’ Scroll down to find them, and don’t forget to upvote those images that mesmerized you the most.

16 PHOTOS

#1 Bessie Coleman, The First Black Aviatrix, Was Denied Access To Flight School In The Us, So She Moved To France, Learned French And Got Her Flight Certificate There, 1922

#2 King Island Inuit Woman And Child, King Island, Alaska, Taken Between 1915 And 1925

#3 Young French Girl Showing Off Her Cat, 1959

Previously, we were lucky enough to have a chat with Margot Note, an expert archival consultant and founder of Margot Note Consulting LLC. She believes that photography is one of the best ways to record history due to its unparalleled accuracy and immediacy.

"Unlike oral traditions or written records, which are subject to interpretation, memory loss, or bias, photographs provide a direct and detailed representation of a moment in time. This allows future generations to see historical events, people, and places as they truly appeared, offering a level of authenticity and emotional connection that earlier methods may lack," she explained.

#4 Two Girls Galloping On Sheep, Cornwall, England, 1969

#5 Chicago’s Southside. In Their Sunday Best, 1941

#6 Freddie Mercury On A Bullet Train (Shinkansen) Leaving For Nagoya During The Hot Space Japan Tour, Nishinomiya, Japan, 25 October 1982

She even went as far as to say that the invention of photography democratized the documentation of history. "Previously, recording history often required specialized skills like writing or artistry, which were limited to certain classes or institutions. Photography, especially with modern technology, enables a broader range of people to document their lives and environments, creating a more inclusive and diverse historical record."

#7 A Soldier Of The Us 535th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion With A Dog On The Ardennes Front, Belgium, January 1945

#8 Soldiers (Who Were Interrupted During Rehearsals For A Drag Show By An Air Raid) Manning Anti-Aircraft Guns At The Royal Artillery Coastal Defence Battery At Shornemead Fort, Kent, England, 1940

#9 A British Soldier With His 8-Month-Old Daughter As He Arrives At The Docks From Overseas, 1945

Of course, like with anything, using photography to record the past also has its limitations. “Like earlier methods, it can be selective and influenced by the perspective of the photographer. Despite this, its immediacy, accessibility, and ability to preserve fleeting moments make it a uniquely powerful tool for recording history, complementing rather than entirely replacing earlier methods," Margot said.

#10 “They Buried Him Among The Kings Because He Had Done Good Toward God And His House.” The Coffin Of The Unknown Warrior Before His Internment In Westminster Abbey, A Memorial To All British And Commonwealth Troops K****d During Ww1 With No Known Grave. 11th November 1920

#11 “Wait For Me, Daddy” - October 1, 1940

#12 Australian Soldier, Private George "D**k" Whittington, Being Aided By Papuan Orderly Raphael Oimbari Near Buna On 25 December 1942

The photos of historical events that Margot feels are very important to humanity are the “Migrant Mother” by Dorothea Lange, which depicts the cost of the Great Depression, "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima" by Joe, which embodies the resilience people showed during World War II, and “Earthrise” by William Anders, which revealed how Earth looks from space, inspiring environmental awareness.

#13 French Soldier With A Wild Eagle Owl In The Trenches, 1916

#14 A Milkman Continues His Duties Following A German Bombing Raid In London, 1940. Original Photo By Fred Morley

#15 Davide Chislagi, The Italian Inventor, Testing Out His Version Of The 'Monowheel', 1933

Meanwhile, her favorite photo capturing a historical moment is the first selfie taken by Robert Cornelius in 1839. "This image fascinates me not only for its pioneering technique in photography but also for its deeply human quality—a quiet moment of self-reflection captured in the dawn of photographic history. It’s remarkable to consider that the instinct to document ourselves, our lives, and our essence transcends time and technology. This photograph reminds me that archival work isn’t just about preserving the past; it’s about safeguarding humanity's ongoing story for the future," she told us.

#16 Union Blue And Confederate Gray Veterans Reunite At Gettysburg In The Year 1913 — Standing By “The Bloody Angle” Where Pickett’s Charge Took Place 50 Years Earlier And Over 3,000 Soldiers On Both Sides Lost Their Lives — Now They Clasp Hands Over The Stone Wall As Brothers