Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
109submissions
Finished
109 Of The Most Heartwarming Historic Photos Ever
When looking at the majority of historical photos, it might seem that the world was black-and-white and all we had were wars and disease.
However, Bored Panda has gone back in time, and dug out some of the most heartwarming and cool images from days gone by.
From a boy receiving a puppy as a present from his grandad, a hospital-bound girl being cured by ducklings, a Victorian couple cracking up as they try and take the 19th century’s equivalent of a selfie, and many others, these vintage photos depicting historical events and regular everyday lives will undoubtedly restore your faith in humanity.
And best of all, these delightful old photos show that despite being from a different era, one thing hasn’t changed over the years - it’s still the little things that matter.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
A Few Seconds Before Happiness, 1955
Yvonne Bernal 8 years ago
Awweee. I wish we could have also been able to see "A Few Seconds After Happiness" lol
RELATED:
#2
A Victorian Couple Trying Not To Laugh While Getting Their Portraits Done, 1890s
#3
Marine Sergeant Frank Praytor Feeding An Orphaned Kitten. He Adopted The Kitten After The Mother Cat Died During The War.
#5
Austrian Boy Receives New Shoes During WWII
Yvonne Bernal 8 years ago
New shoes were a BIG thing during WWII. My grandmother told me how my grandfathers paycheck one time was enough to buy their groceries and some new shoes for my mom. Times were tough VERY tough in those days.
#6
Girl Playing For Her Dog
#7
Brownie Gets The Milk As Blackie Waits His Turn, 1954
#8
Harold Whittles Hearing Sound For The First Time, 1974
#9
Animals Being Used As Part Of Medical Therapy, 1956
#10
Happy French Girl And Her Cat, 1959
#11
The Graves Of A Catholic Woman And Her Protestant Husband, Holland, 1888
#12
Russian Soldiers Of WWII Sleeping With Puppy
#13
A Little Girl Holds A Penguin's Flipper As They Walk Together Around The London Zoo, 1937
#14
Young Carrie Fisher Watching Her Mother Debbie Reynolds Perform On Stage, 1963
#15
Little Girl And Her Pet Toad At A Pet Show, Venice Beach, California, 1936
#16
Christina Goldsmith Kissing A Weimaraner Puppy From Her Father's Stock Of Weimaraner Hunting Dogs, 1950
#17
A Hotel Commissionaire Talking To A Small Dachshund Dog In Piccadilly Circus, London, 1938
Yvonne Bernal 8 years ago
I believe the little dog was trying to get a room as it was the 'inn' thing to do. How suite.
#18
Boy Sharing Bed With His Best Friend
#19
A Little Girl Having Fun Pretending To Talk On The Telephone, Japan, 1958
#20
Soldier Shares A Banana With A Goat During The Battle Of Saipan, Ca. 1944
Flora Polvado 8 years ago
Saipan, Ca.-in California? Isn't Saipan in the Pacific? Love the pic, these kind of war photos always renew my hope for humanity.
#21
Mailman Poses With His Heavy Load Of Christmas Mail And Parcels, Chicago, 1929
#22
A Little French Girl Gives An American Soldier A Kiss On Valentine’s Day, 1945
#23
A Blind Woman Relaxes At The Local Swimming Pool, Watched Over By Her Guide Dog, 1966
#24
Nun Dancing With Children, 1964
#25
Champion Bloodhound Leo Of Reynalton Being Cuddled By His Little Mistress Dorothy Horder At The Crufts Dog Show In London, 1935
#26
A Young Woman Lifts Her Feet While Embracing And Kissing A Uniformed Us Soldier At The Train Station, Connecticut, 1945
#28
A Street Musician And A Little Girl
Cherie Rachel 8 years ago
I would love to have this image up at home to remind me of how great it is to be alive.
#29
On The Caterpillar, Women's Pub Outing, Clapham, London, 1958
Yvonne Bernal 8 years ago
Interesting that the front photos differ from the last car so much that you wouldn't even think they were on the same ride
#30
Teenaged Boys Using Blanket To Toss Their Friend, Norma Baker, Into The Air On The Beach, 1948
Aunt Messy 8 years ago
Norma Jean Baker was Marilyn Monroe. So this is the pre-blond Marilyn we're seeing.
#31
For Paris Match, 1961
#32
Medic Feeding Baby Birds
#33
A French Boy Introduces Himself To Indian Soldiers Who Had Just Arrived In France To Fight Alongside French And British Forces, Marseilles, 30th September 1914
#34
A Bear Cub Eats A Bowl Of Honey At A Cafe, 1950
Shruti Naik 8 years ago
She is wearing a lovely shirt! Some of the fashion back then is still relevant...
#35
A Soldier Comes Home From War, 1940s
#36
Queen Elizabeth With Her Much-Loved Corgis Watching The Royal Windsor Horse Show, 1973
#37
The Swing And Childhood
Yvonne Bernal 8 years ago
I remember when you could truly swing on a swing. And you would try to go so high that you'd flip over the other side!!
#39
Worker In Cosmetic Company Covered With Relics Of Lipstick Kisses To Prove That Dyes In Lipsticks Are Harmless, 1960
#40
Woman And Dog Jumping Rope, 1940s
#41
An American Soldier At An Advanced Allied Base With His Pet Kangaroo, 1942
#42
Nuns From The Order Of St. Benedict Make A Splash In The Pacific Ocean While Vacationing At Grayland, 1960
Yvonne Bernal 8 years ago
This sure breaks the stereotype of strict nuns most folks have.... especially from back in the day!
#43
Gunner Hector Morgan Returning Home, 1945
#44
Wally Kilminster Enjoys A Foam Bath With His Dog In The Dressing Rooms At Wembley Stadium, 1934
#45
An Officer Holds A Cigar With Two Canaries Perched On It, 1918
#46
Circus Baby Yvonne Kruse Is Pushed In Her Pram By 'Kam', One Of Her Mother's Charges, On Their Arrival At Addison Road Station, London, From Their Winter Quarters At Ascot, 1958
#47
Nanson Of Netheroyd, A Champion Borzoi, Enjoys Pulling His Young Master Around In A Toy Car,1937
#48
Young Soldier Holding A Little Piggy With Lid In London During WWII
#49
Ice Bucket Challenge, NYC, 1943
JillVille Child Care 8 years ago
I do love the bathing suit fashion from these times. Like cute little dresses :)
#50
Sledding Down Art Hill After The 1904 World’s Fair Was Over, St Louis, 1904
#51
A Couple Enjoys An Old-Fashioned Zipline, 1923
#52
Children Pictured Decorating A Tree In The 1940s
#53
Roller Girl Skating With Kids, 1970s
#54
The Future 32nd President Of The United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, With His Cousin, 1910
#55
A Young Woman Goes Sledding At Buxton In The English Peak District, 1904
#56
A Woman In A Toweling Bikini Poses In A Funfair Hall Of Mirrors, Circa 1935
Yvonne Bernal 8 years ago
This would have been extreme risque for the 30's. So I gotta wonder just why she was wearing a bathing suit in a house of mirrors?
#57
Man Returns Home From Time In The Navy. Carrying Sister While Brother In Law Shoots Them With A Water Pistol
Final score:
46points
#58
A Boy And His New Ball, Netherlands June 1966
Final score:
44points
#60
Four Pints Today Please, Mr. Milkman (c. 1968, Altrincham, Cheshire, Uk)
Final score:
34points
#61
Me, Sitting On The Rail At Niagra Falls In 1956.
Final score:
33points
#62
Taking His Cousin For A Wheelbarrow Ride 1948 Corley Moor, U.k.
Final score:
32points
The Granary (Submission author) 8 years ago
This is my dad, he loved his family and was always kind to everyone. It's not cool to kind to your younger female cousin but he didn't care.
#63
Christmas '75 Norway
Final score:
32points
#64
Sitting On An Original Turtle Brought Back From The Galapagos By Darwin
Final score:
29points
Merilyn Horton (Submission author) 8 years ago
The turtle was Harriet, who passed away at Steve Irwins zoo, not that long ago, at 168 years old.
#65
Turkish Women In 1930, Became One Of The First Women To Be Elected For Mayorships
Final score:
28points
#66
Guess I Was Meant To Love Home Remodeling And Construction Industry .. Me In 1951 Helping My Dad With New Garage !!
Final score:
26points
#67
The Best Rocking Horse Ever, Bangladesh,1963
Final score:
26points
#68
Having My Picture Taken By A Traveling Photographe With A Horse 1965
Final score:
23points
Cheyenne Bills (phoenixgirl58) 8 years ago
These were popular in California i think,Because my mom has a picture of her and her brother In this same style from the 1960's and one of my grandma from the 1940's
#70
Young Students Celebrating The National Sovereignty And Children's Day In Turkey, April 24, 1970s
Final score:
20points
#71
Ataturk On A Swing
Final score:
16points
#72
1930's England - After A Days Work
Final score:
15points
Pauline Lloyd 8 years ago
After a hard days work, we have a hard evenings s rowing, such energy.
#73
Found Memories
Final score:
15points
#76
My Nan And Pop Sydney Street Shot 1940's
Final score:
13points
#77
Happy Couple, Ca.1970
Final score:
12points
#79
1960's Rocking Horse (brad Lawrence, Owner)
Final score:
9points
#80
My Parents On Their Wedding Day, 1971
Final score:
9points
#81
Italian-american Teen, Al Amendolare, With His Father's Truck
Final score:
9points
#82
In 1938, Grandfather (first From Right) And Grandmother(4th From Left) With Their Family. The Smiling Little Girl, Second From Left Is My Mother, Now She Is 80.
Final score:
8points
#83
Sitting On The Lawn Of Our Very First House In Canada, 1956.
Final score:
8points
#84
Yong Couple She Was From Italy He Was Born In The Us. She Is Now 105 Years Old. 1929 Or 1930
Final score:
7points
#85
My Mom And Her Sisters. Christmas In St.albans, W.v. In The '50's.
Final score:
6points
#88
Home Shopping With Joy - 2007
Final score:
4points
#89
My Siblings And I Playing Flag Football In Our Big Front Yard, Circa 1973, Salem, Oregon
Final score:
4points
#91
My Dad Pretending To Pour A Pepsi On My Aunt 1970
Final score:
3points
#93
My Mom Pregnant With My Brother, Standing With My Aunt, Uncle, And Grandma 1975
Final score:
1point
#95
My Great Nana Simm , As A Teenager , Florrie Samuels, With The Gorgeous Hat.late 1890's
Final score:
1point
#98
Really? So Old Am I?
Final score:
0points
#101
My Mom At Hollywood Blvd In 1959
Final score:
0points
#102
Graduation 1957. Nashua Nh
Final score:
0points
Amy Force (Submission author) 8 years ago
that's my mom on the right in the cap & gown; her sis on the left. :)
#103
Raf Officer T. W. Hudspith Enjoying Some Light Reading, 1945
Final score:
0points
#105
Thumbs Up With A Kiss For Being My Bday 1998
Final score:
-2points
Add New Image
Explore more of these tags
What do you think ?
Nancy Allen 8 years ago
oh how much life was so simple back then and people were happier and familes working together sharing love
Lyone Fein 8 years ago
I think the debate about what counts as "historic/historical" is very interesting. But honestly, as a person who studies the "history of religions, I have to chip in to say that anything that has occurred in the past counts as history. So, if it is yesterday, it is historic, strictly speaking.
Sasy 8 years ago
I feel like after looking at all those amazing pictures, that people had more fun back then ...like truly had fun, they had jobs, it was wartime, they had to raise families and so on, but still had time to do fun outdoors things. As much as its fine to say, well turn off the computer and stop playing video games or whatever is keeping you inside, socially we are just no longer set up for all that kind of fun now.
Nancy Allen 8 years ago
oh how much life was so simple back then and people were happier and familes working together sharing love
Lyone Fein 8 years ago
I think the debate about what counts as "historic/historical" is very interesting. But honestly, as a person who studies the "history of religions, I have to chip in to say that anything that has occurred in the past counts as history. So, if it is yesterday, it is historic, strictly speaking.
Sasy 8 years ago
I feel like after looking at all those amazing pictures, that people had more fun back then ...like truly had fun, they had jobs, it was wartime, they had to raise families and so on, but still had time to do fun outdoors things. As much as its fine to say, well turn off the computer and stop playing video games or whatever is keeping you inside, socially we are just no longer set up for all that kind of fun now.
Related on Bored Panda
