History has a funny way of surprising us, especially when captured in candid photographs. These rare images offer a peek behind the curtain of the past, showing us moments that are equal parts fascinating and unexpected. Whether it’s a bizarre fashion statement, a peculiar piece of technology, or an ordinary day turned extraordinary, these snapshots remind us that history isn’t always about big events—it’s also about the curious, the quirky, and the downright unbelievable. Ready to see the side of history you never learned about in school? Let’s dive in!
Maud Stevens Wagner was the first known female tattoo artist
You probably think you’ve seen this woman wandering around your hipster neighborhood. Except, Maud Stevens Wagner was born in 1877. She was a performer in a traveling circus and worked in sideshows. She got her tattoo start after she met her husband who was a sailor who traveled the world and said he learned to tattoo from the tribesmen in Janva and Borneo. Maud loved his tattoos and received tattoo lessons in exchange for a date. The two fell in love and were later married – which meant more tattoos and more tattoo lessons. Maud and her husband specialized in hand-poked tattoos, despite the widespread of tattoo machines. And the rest is tattoo history!
Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson on their wedding day
Burt Reynolds married Loni Anderson in April 1988. The had a quiet 20-minute ceremony on Burt’s Florida ranch – that was also attended by five paparazzi helicopters circling over the ceremony -while throngs of reporters positioned themselves outside the gates. Their marriage ended five years later but it took another 22 years to completely sever financial ties. That sounds a little bitter and like an ugly split. Reynolds later said the marriage “was a really dumb move on my part.” Adding: “I should have known that you don’t marry an actress. It wasn’t lollipops and roses.”
Hey Hey! It’s The Munsters!
Marilyn has got to be my favorite of The Munsters. My second favorite is either Grandpa or Eddie Munster. Named for Marilyn Monroe, and played by several different actresses, the deal with Marilyn Munster was she was considered homely and unattractive by the rest of her monster family members. Marilyn was originally played by Beverley Owen, who took the role because she thought the show would never succeed. But it did and she had to move from New York to Los Angeles. On numerous occasions, she was seen depressed and crying in the studios. She was fired but went on to marry future Sesame Street writer and director Jon Stone.
Who Needs a Pony When You Can Ride a Boar?
If there was ever a kid to ride a board – this small child has the perfect face for it. I’m pretty positive that he and the boar have the exact same expression. Then again, we aren’t actually seeing the kid on top of the boar and riding away. It darn pretty much looks like he’s “standing” near a boar – that could be rode. Both boars and pigs are smart creatures. A boar is simply an intact male pig. So this board should be smart enough to know he doesn’t want some kid in short pants on top of him.
Working hard to dig this locomotive out of snow
You know that a blizzard is bad when it buries an entire train. In 1949, a blizzard whipped through the northern plains and was considered one of the worst in history – with heavy snow, sleet, cold temperatures, and winds of 50 – 70 miles per hour. Enormous snow drifts paralyzed much of the Midwest region. Airplanes were used to bring in food and medical supplies to isolated towns because snow blocked roads and railways. Trains, submerged in snow drifts, had to be dug out by hand. Dynamite was also used to loosen ice-encrusted snow – to set the trains free. Conversely, hot chocolate sales went up during this period.