Early Photos Of Iconic Things That Prove How Much Things Have Changed
When we look at our world today, everything seems to be changing at rapid speeds. But years ago, things looked a lot different than they do nowadays. It’s always interesting to go back in time and see how things once looked. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most interesting photographs that show just how drastically things have changed over the years. Scroll down to find the one that surprised you the most. Enjoy!
COCA-COLA WAS ORIGINALLY ADVERTISED AS A DRINK TO CURE HEADACHES
A pharmacist by the name of John Stith Pemberton was the creator of Coca-Cola back in 1886. Believe it or not, the formula was intended to relieve headaches. The name comes from the main ingredients used to create the popular beverage, coca leaves, and kola nuts. Later on, the formula was sold to Asa Candler who then mailed out thousands of coupons offering a free drink. It turns out, that people fell in love with the soda.
THE FAMOUS WALDORF-ASTORIA STARTED OFF AS TWO SEPARATE HOTELS CREATED BY FEUDING RELATIVES
Believe it or not, the famous Waldorf-Astoria was once two hotels on Fifth Avenue in the big apple. Building began in 1893 and later continued in 1897. The hotel paved the way for hotels that followed after it. For example, it was the first hotel that provided electricity on each floor. Additionally, they were the first hotel to provide 24-hour room service.
THIS PHOTO OF JAMES DEAN SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS DEPICTS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PHOTOBOMBS
We love this photograph. It really goes to show that when it comes to celebrities, things haven’t changed all that much. Celebs still have fans waiting around them who want autographs. What we love about this photo is also the woman on the right-hand side photobombing this picture.
CHARLIE CHAPLIN SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN MAKING MEMES BEFORE THEY WERE COOL
This is too cool. If you’ve been on the Internet, you probably have seen the “distracted boyfriend” meme which depicts a girlfriend and a boyfriend walking, and the boyfriend looks back at a passing woman. Back in 1922, Charlie Chaplin was the “distracted boyfriend” meme in his silent film, “Pay Day.” Charlie looks back at the woman passing on the street while his wife looks right at him.
THE ORIGINAL BATMOBILE WAS CREATED BY GEORGE BARRIS WHO BECAME THE KING OF CRAZY CUSTOM CARS
George Barris was pretty iconic and he created many cars for various movies and television shows. His most famous design of them all was the Batmobile which made its debut in the original Batman TV series. He became so popular, that he customized cars for very high-profile celebrities including Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Sylvester Stallone.
THE OREO BISCUIT WAS TRADEMARKED IN 1912 AND WAS RENAMED TO OREO SANDWICH IN 1921
Oreos are loved by many and they’ve been around for a while since 1912 to be exact. While they may seem like just simple wafer cookies with cream on the inside, they have an interesting history. They had a few name changes over the years, but despite that, people still refer to them as Oreos. As the cookie grew in popularity, several other variations of the cookie started to hit the market. We’re sure the Oreo cookie will remain a favorite for many years to come.
ONLOOKERS ALSO WATCHED THE THE WORLD SERIES IN SHIBE PARK FROM THEIR ROOFTOPS CIRCA 1913
Looking at images of our past really brings us back in time. The 1913 world series was a game to remember. The Philadelphia Athletics won the New York Giants 4 to 1. There were so many people watching the game from the stadium seats and those that couldn’t get seats viewed the game from their rooftops.
CONVERSE DEBUTED AS AN ATHLETIC SHOE IN 1917 AND WAS ONCE THE NUMBER ONE BASKETBALL SHOE
The converse we know and love today has had a long history, yet, the classic shoe hasn’t changed all that much. At one point, these shoes were the number one shoe for basketball, where many NBA players would be seen wearing Chucks. They were so popular, you can even see Rocky sporting them during the training montage of the movie.
RUSSEL SOLOMON OPENED TOWER RECORDS IN 1960 AND WAS SELLING RECORDS OUT OF HIS FATHER’S DRUGSTORE
Today, music is right at our fingertips at any time and anywhere. We almost take for granted how easy it is nowadays to have access to music. But back in the day, you would need to go to s store. During Tower record’s peak, people were coming into the store for new releases, including big names such as Elton John. It was definitely a unique place.
THIS IS WHAT THE ORIGINAL STAR WARS CAST LOOKED LIKE OUT OF COSTUME
There is no film quite like Star Wars. It was such a classic film, it is still enjoyed by viewers today. From left to right, you can see Han Solo, Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, and of course, R2-D2. It was opened in only 42 theatres back in 1977. It’s crazy to think about how far the film has come since then.
ATLANTIC CITY WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE U.S. VERSION OF THE MONOPOLY BOARD GAME
Atlantic City is known for its beaches, casinos, as well as its boardwalk, but it is not the boardwalk empire we know it to be today. Interestingly enough, this city inspired the Monopoly game, specifically the street names. The Atlantic City boardwalk is probably one of the most popular boardwalks, dating back to the early 1900s.
THIS MOTORIZED PRAM LOOKS PRETTY FUTURISTIC FOR ITS TIME AND WAS MEANT TO ACT AS A MOTHER’S HELPER
Being a nanny in the 1920s looks like a breeze with this motorized stroller. No matter what, newborn babies can be exhausting and take a lot of energy out of their caretakers. But that seemed to have been reduced thanks to a motorized pram. This one-wheeled scooter allowed mothers and nannies to ‘push’ the stroller without much effort.
THE ORIGINAL MICKEY MOUSE FROM 1928 WAS NOT AS FRIENDLY LOOKING AS IT IS TODAY
Mickey Mouse certainly looks a heck of a lot different than he does today. When the iconic Mickey Mouse was introduced to the world, he didn’t look as loveable as he does now. He made his first film debut in the short film titled ” Steamboat Willie.” This film was a great breakthrough in the world of animation and while Mickey may have got a makeover, he still remains a prominent character today.
THIS WAS THE FIRST CABLE CAR TO CROSS OVER NIAGRA FALLS IN 1916
It’s so interesting to look back at old photographs to get a glimpse into our past. Taking a trip to Niagara Falls was possible thanks to this cable car named the Whirlpool Areo car. This was the opening day of this particular cable car and it’s crazy to think about how things have changed as the years have gone by.
THIS AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS WHAT MANHATTAN LOOKED LIKE FROM ABOVE IN 1913
It’s not every day that you get to see an aerial view of Manhattan. In this photo, you can see Harlem, Central Park, the Upper East Side, the Upper West Side, Midtown, the Empire State Building, as well as lower Manhattan. Since this photograph was taken, New York has undergrown some major advances which have made the city what is it today.
SUBWAY WAS CREATED BY A PHYSICIST AND A COLLEGE FRESHMAN WHO NEEDED A WAY TO PAY HIS COLLEGE TUITION
Subway was opened up by Fred DeLuca and Peter Buck back in 1965. Deluca burrowed a thousand bucks from Buck with the intention of paying for college. Subway wasn’t always named Subay. It was once called Pete’s Super Submarines, and not before long, the chain expanded worldwide. Then, the famous sandwich chain was renamed Subway in 1968.
DAIRY QUEEN’S FOUNDER BELIEVED SO STRONGLY IN HIS SOFT SERVE, THAT HE CALLED IT THE ‘QUEEN AMONG DAIRY PRODUCTS’
If you know Dairy Queen, you know their soft serve. The first soft-serve formula was made back in 1938. The very first Dairy Queen was created in 1940, but it wasn’t until 1985 that the Blizzard we all know and love today was created. While you may want to replicate the dessert at home, the famous soft serve recipe is under lock and key.
MCDONALD’S SURPRISINGLY BEGAN AS A HOT DOG STAND
Brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald started McDonald’s back in 1940. But what many people don’t know is that before McDonald’s success, the brothers were selling hot dogs out of a stand in the 1930s. They noticed the majority of their sales were coming from the burgers, so they rearranged the menu, and Mcdonald’s was born.
GLEN BELL, THE FOUNDER OF TACO BELL, SAW LINES OUT THE DOOR AT THE MEXICAN RESTAURANT ACROSS THE STREET- THAT’S WHEN HE DECIDED TO CREATE HIS OWN
The founding father of Taco Bell is known other than Glen Bell. He was a savvy businessman who had different businesses, like a golf course and a hot dog stand. But he got the idea to make his own Mexican restaurant when he saw how popular the one across the street was. Those neighbors even taught him how to make hard-taco shells.
STEVE JOBS NAMED HIS COMPANY ‘APPLE’ BECAUSE IT WAS HIS FAVORITE FRUIT
Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ryan Wayne were the founders of Apple. It all started back in Steve’s dad’s garage. If you have ever wondered where the name ‘Apple’ comes from, it’s actually quite simple. Apples were Steve Jobs’s favorite fruit.
DISNEYLAND OPENED ITS DOORS BACK IN 1955 AND ADMISSIONS WERE JUST $1
Disneyland is still one of the happiest places on Earth after all these years. The first opened back in 1955. The park we know today was not at all like it was back then. The park only had eighteen attractions and rides. Today, there are up to 55 different attractions. Sure, there may be more attractions, but now, you have to pay a 99-dollar admission fee.
THE FIRST HARLEY-DAVIDSON BIKE WAS MADE IN A SHED IN THE DAVISON’S BACKYARD
Back in 1901, William S. Harley was looking to make a small engine for a pedal-bicycle frame. That’s when he got the idea to make a motorbike. The very first bike was made in the shed that was in the backyard of David’s home. When the United States entered WWI, bike sales skyrocketed and really put them on the map.
BILL GATES AND PAUL ALLEN STARTED MICROSOFT IN A GARAGE
Turns out, some of the most popular companies begin in garages. Take Microsoft, for example. Bill Gates and his friend Paul Allen started Micro-soft, which was a combo of the words microcomputer and software. The company has grown exponentially and changed technology for years after that.
BURGER KING WAS ONCE KNOWN AS INSTA-BURGER KING
Burger King was created by Keith Cramer and his father-in-law. They had no idea how popular it would really become. There were some financial troubles in 1954, which was when the company was purchased by David Edgerton and James McLamore. They renamed it, Burger King. It is still one of the most popular fast food chains around.
THE FIRST DUNKIN’ DONUTS SOLD DONUTS FOR JUST 5 CENTS
The Dunkin’ Donuts you know and love today was not always called Dunkin’ Donuts. Back in 1948, it was known as Open Kettle and served coffee and pastries. Today, billions of coffee are sold every year. With so much competition in the coffee world, Dunkin’ Donuts still knows how to stand out and get people coming back for more.
GOOGLE IS A CREATIVE SPELLING OF THE WORD ‘GOOGOL,’ WHICH IS THE NUMBER 1 WITH A HUNDRED ZERO’S BEHIND IT
Yup, here is another company that started in a garage. We’re starting to see a trend here. Google was started by two students at Standford, Sergey Brin, and Larry Page. Before it was named Google, it was called BackRub which eluded to the search engine’s analysis of the web’s backlinks. It became so popular, that the word ‘Google’ became a verb.
NINTENDO ORIGINALLY SOLD TRADITIONAL JAPANESE PLAYING CARDS
Nintendo has been around way before we were even born. It was started back in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi. They began by selling playing cards, but then they advanced to video game consoles, specifically, the Color TV Game. With worldwide attention, they then created Game Boy, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Wii, and much more.
THE FOUNDER OF TOYS “R” US WAS MOTIVATED TO OPEN HIS STORE BECAUSE OF THE RECENT BABY BOOM AT THE TIME
The founder of Toys “R” Us saw that many of his friends were having kids after the war. He took this information and decided to open up a children’s store, which was originally named Children’s supermart. It was nothing like the Toys “R” Us we know of today. It originally sold baby furniture, but then it evolved to sell toys.
EVERY IKEA PRODUCT IS NAMED AFTER DIFFERENT SWEDISH WORDS
Ingvar Kamprad is the man behind Ikea and he created the company when he was only seventeen years old. The store started off small at first, only selling picture frames. It eventually evolved to selling furniture. The first piece of furniture Ikea sold was the Lovet, which was a leaf-shaped side table.
WALMART’S FOUNDER SAM WALTON WAS MOCKED BY HIS BOSS AT J.C. PENNEY, SO HE DECIDED TO MAKE HIS OWN STORE
Before Walmart was the store we know today, it was known as Walton’s 5 & 10. In the 1970s, the company went public and eventually garnered one billion dollars in sales. Years later in 2002, Walmart was the number one company n the Fortune 500 list. Walmart has been around since before we can remember and it doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon.
WENDY’S FOUNDER, DAVE THOMAS, NAMED HIS FAST FOOD JOINT AFTER HIS DAUGHTER WENDY
The founder of Wendy’s, Dave Thomas, grew up loving hamburgers. He decided he wanted to create something out of something he really loved and tried every hamburger stand he could find. He opened up the first Wendy’s in 1969 and named it after his daughter’s nickname, Wendy.
PIZZA HUT BEGAN WHEN TWO BROTHERS BORROWED $600 TO OPEN A SHOP AND THE REST IS HISTORY
Pizza Hut pizza is loved by many across the world. They have gotten so popular from their beginning days, that they now have more than 16,000 locations worldwide. Dan and Frank Carney, the founds of the famous pizza, opened their first shop in 1958. They are so popular, that 3% of the U.S. cheese production is thanks to them.
THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE NAME ‘TACO CABANA’ WAS FROM FELIX STEHLING’S MEMORIES OF FAMILY VACATIONS IN MEXICO
This chain started back in the 1970s when the founder, Felix Stehling took over an abandoned Dairy Queen building. At first, he utilized the space to create a bar named the Crystal Pistol. He wanted money to come through throughout the day as well, which is when he started his Mexican restaurant. Conveniently enough, these chains are open 24/7.
WHITE CASTLE’S FOUNDER COULDN’T STAND IT WHEN THE MEATBALLS STUCK TO THE GRIDDLE, SO HE SMASHED ONE WITH A SPATULA, AND THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF THE FLAT PATTY
The flat patty was created by sheer accident. The founder of the chain, Walt Anderson, smashed the meatballs to create hamburgers. They were the very first fast food chain to sell 1 billion burgers. Interestingly enough, they started putting holes in their burgers with the goal of making them cook faster.
THE QUADRICYCLE WITH 4 BICYCLE WHEELS WAS HENRY FORD’S FIRST VEHICLE
Believe it or not, Henry Ford was once working for none other than Thomas Edison as a chief engineer. Ford created the first moving assembly line in 1913 after he got the idea from a meatpacking house. These lines were revolutionary and he was able to build cars at a much faster pace, which eventually allowed him to hire more employees.
WHATABURGER’S FOUNDER WANTED TO CREATE A BURGER SO BIG, THAT YOU WOULD NEED TWO HANDS TO HOLD IT
Harmon Dobson was the man behind Whataburger. His goal was for people to take one bite out of his burgers and say, “What a burger!” Whataburger was styled with orange and white stripes, which wasn’t done by accident. Dobson loved flying and he really wanted the famous stripes to be visible from the sky.
THE FIRST A&W ROOT BEER WAS HANDED OUT TO WWI VETERANS AT A HOMECOMING PARADE
Roy Allen and Frank Wright founded their rootbeer company back in 1919. The A and W in the name come from the letters of their last names, of course. The first franchise restaurant began in the United States. Alongside root bears, they also offered other fast food items such as burgers, chicken, and even corn dogs.
JACK IN A BOX’S TWO-WAY INTERCOM DRIVE-THRU SYSTEM WAS REVOLUTIONARY
Jack in the Box began with just 15 items, and over time, more items were added to its menu. The drive-thru was something that had already existed but Jack in the Box elevated it one step further thanks to its two-way intercom. Customers would place their order before driving up to the window which would lower the wait time significantly.
THE GIMBEL’S DEPARTMENT STORE IS FAMOUS FOR CREATING THE GIMBEL’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE
1887 was the year that Gimbels department store was born. What started as a general store in India grew to 36 stores across the U.S. They were able to expand the business thanks to stock sales on the New York Stock exchange. A couple of years later in the 1930s, Gimbel Brother Inc. was the largest department store corporation in the world.
IN-N-OUT WAS CREATED BY NEWLYWEDS WHO WANTED CUSTOMERS TO GET FOOD WITHOUT HAVING TO PARK
In-N-Out was started by newlyweds Harry and Esther Snyder. Believe it or not, they were California’s first drive-thru hamburger stand. Harry took charge of buying the produce and meat while Esther took care of the accounting. At one point, they even have a mascot named Jack Box.
TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF LITTLE CAESAR’S PIZZA, MIKE ILITCH WOULD TASTE TEST LOCAL PIZZAS IN VARIOUS TOWNS
Mike Ilitch definitely had the mind of an entrepreneur. Before he got into the world of pizza, he was a shortstop on a minor league baseball team. When he and his wife saved up enough money, they ended up opening up their own pizza shop in 1959. He wanted to call it “Pizza Treat” but his wife wanted to name it “Little Caesar.”
ARBY ISN’T A REAL PERSON, BUT THE LETTERS ‘R’ AND ‘B’ STAND FOR THE RAFFEL BROTHERS
In 1964, Leroy and Forrest Raffel opened their first roast beef sandwich shop and things really started taking off. At first, they wanted to call it “Big Tex” but soon found out another business was using that name. The business has really grown immensely and its most popular items are its curly fries.
PIGGLY WIGGLY WAS THE ORIGINAL SELF-SERVICE GROCERY STORE
Clarence Saunders created the Piggly Wiggly and he had no idea he would change the food-shopping game. This was the first store where customers could walk in and browse to see what they were interested in buying. Rumor has it that Piggly Wiggly was the name given to the store to garner buzz and have people ask why such a name was given.
YVON CHOUINARD, THE FOUNDER OF PATAGONIA, WAS INSPIRED TO CREATE HIS COMPANY AFTER NOTICING HIS CLIMBING EQUIPMENT WAS DAMAGING THE ROCKS
Yvon started climbing at the young age of fourteen. This is a great story of a passion turning into a business. He started off selling metal spikes and then started selling redesigned climbing tools. It became so popular, that Patagonia became the largest climbing hardware company in the U.S.
A YOUNG MELANIA TRUMP DURING HER MODELING CAREER AT THE AGE OF 16
Melania Trump once had a long career as a model in Slovenia starting at the age of 16. She was discovered by a Slovenian photographer by the name of Stane Jerko back in 1987. It wasn’t long until she was posing for fashion magazines.
NASA SCIENTISTS WROTE DOWN THEIR CALCULATIONS ON A LARGE CHALKBOARD CIRCA 1961
Back in the day, NASA scientists used a huge chalkboard to calculate all their equations. These six scientists in the photo are working on the equations for satellite orbits at System Labs in California. This was way before the days of computers, but we’re pretty grateful technology has advanced since then, making calculations way less laborious.
THE ORIGINAL CAST OF SNL ONLY CONSISTED OF 7 PEOPLE WHO WROTE MOST OF THEIR OWN MATERIAL
Saturday Night Live has certainly come a long way since 1975. The jokes are different, there are more people involved, and the company has really advanced. This original cast consisted of Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Garrett Morris, Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, and Laraine Newman. The fact that SNL is still running is a testament to the company.
THIS WAS THE VERY FIRST INTERNATIONAL MATCH AT WIMBLEDON IN 1877
Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the entire world, and it has been around for quite some time. Back in 1877. The first tournament was a men’s tennis match where only twenty-two men signed up. twenty men showed up on day one. Spencer Gore ended up defeating his opponent, William Marshall.
A YOUNG MARILYN MONROE BEFORE THE FAME
From this picture, you can probably make out that this was Marilyn Monroe, but she certainly looks different from the bombshell persona we all know. She was born Norma Jean Mortenson. Growing up, she had foster parents and was also in an orphanage. She was discovered by a photographer while she was working in a factory, and that was the beginning of her successful; career as a movie actress.
THE VERY FIRST MICKEY MOUSE CLUB MEETING LOOKS MORE LIKE A CULT THAN A CLUB, CIRCA 1930
Ok, this is absolutely terrifying. If you would have asked us what we think the Mickey Mouse club used to look like, this is not what we would have imagined. The Mickey Mouse Clubs were clubs for kids to join. This photo shows a meeting take place in 1930 at a cinema in California. By 1932, the club had one million members.
THIS IS WHAT THE EARLY YEARS OF THE NEW YORK SUBWAY LOOKED LIKE
New York City would not be New York without the subway stations. It’s how people get from point A to point B, and without it, things would be completely dysfunctional. This photo shows the groundbreaking of the very first subway in New York back in 1901. It’s pretty incredible to see how much this system changed the city.
THIS IS THE ORIGINAL STORE THAT ROUGH TRADE RECORDS OPENED BACK IN 1976
Back in 1976, Rough Trade Records open its very first store on Kensington Park Road in West London. Rough Trade Records is an independent record label store created by Geoff Travis. It was a great place for Indie lovers to come to. Before opening up his first store, Travis was a drama teacher, as well as the owner of a punk record shop.
ACTRESSES ON THE ORIGINAL SET OF ‘THE PARENT TRAP’ IN 1961
Ok, it’s safe to say that most people know what The Parent Trap film is with Lindsey Lohan. But perhaps you didn’t know that that version was actually a remake of the original Parent Trap with Hayley Mills, Maureen O’Hara, and Brian Keith. It is such a classic film, we recommend watching it. Both films are great, but the 1961 version is iconic.
TIFFANY & CO. WAS ONCE REFERRED TO AS A ‘STATIONARY AND FANCY GOODS STORE’
Tiffany & Co. is a company with a rich history. The American luxury jewelry store was founded in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany and Teddy Young. It was known as a “fancy goods” store and was located on Broadway in New York City. It wasn’t until 1853 that Charles Lewis Tiffany took full ownership of the company, hence the name change to Tiffany & Co.
THE FIRST COMPUTER TO EVER PLAY MUSIC WAS THE IBM 7090 WHICH SANG ” DAISY BELL”
We can only imagine what a feat this might have felt like back in the day. The IBM 7090 was special because it was the first computer capable of playing and singing music. The vocals were made by John Kellet and Carol Lockbaum, while Max Matthews created the accompanying music. This computer certainly amplified computing power.
THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL WAMPA FROM ‘THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK’ CIRCA 1980
If you are anything like us, you’re a big fan of Star Wars. The Wampa was a creature that showed up in the 1980s film, Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. In the movie, they used their big white fur to help camouflage themselves. To make the Wampa appear larger than humans, they shot the scenes in a smaller-sized replica of a cave.
THIS IS WHAT IT WAS LIKE SHOOTING THE MGM LOGO
MGM Pictures star is none other than Leo the Lion. If you hear the roar of the lion, chances are you’ll connect it to MGM Pictures. This roar is very much connected to the Golden Age of Hollywood. It wasn’t just one lion that made a star appearance, but several lions had their chances to shine.
SHORTS, AN ICONIC WARDROBE PIECE, ONCE TURNED HEADS AS IT WAS NOT COMMON TO BARE LEGS IN PUBLIC
These two women in public decided to walk down the street baring their legs in Toronto back in 1937. To us, wearing shorts is common practice today, but back then, it was out of the norm. This was the first time women wore shorts in public, which drew in a lot of attention.
THIS WAS THE WORLD’S FIRST PICTURE EVER TAKEN BACK IN 1826
Photographs have really come a long way since then. There have been many advancements in technology and advancements. This particular photograph is titled View from the Window at Le Gras. It was taken by a french scientist by the name of Joseph Niceephore Niepce. This picture was possible thanks to his heliography process.
THIS WAS THE FIRST PHOTO TAKEN OF THE ROLLING STONES IN 1962
When you think about it, history is pretty crazy. While the Rolling Stones may have gotten together years ago, their music still lives on. They really defined hard rock and became one of the most popular bands in rock. The original Rolling Stones members were Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman, and Charlie Watts.
