American soldiers recovering from their wounds ride through London in December 1918, taking part in victory celebrations following the end of World War I. Transported from hospitals across the city, these men joined public parades that marked the close of the war and honored their service. Organized with support from the American Red Cross.
Daughters of American Revolution. George Washinton Celebration. W.S. Smoot
A formal gathering of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1915 marks a George Washington celebration, bringing together civic leaders, military officers, and members of the public to honor the nation’s founding legacy. Public ceremonies and commemorations played a key role in shaping how Americans remembered the past and expressed civic pride.
Home Barber Shop
A makeshift barber shop in rural Idaho between 1912 and 1920 reflects the resourcefulness of everyday life in the early 20th century. With limited access to formal businesses, services like haircuts were often handled informally at home or outdoors, using simple tools and whatever space was available.
People's Drug Store Baseball Team, Washington, D.C.
The People’s Drug Store baseball team stands together in Washington, D.C. around 1921, gathered behind a trophy that reflects the strong role of company-sponsored teams in early 20th-century America. Businesses often formed clubs to build morale and community, with baseball serving as a unifying pastime across cities and small towns alike.
Man Sitting in a Horse Drawn Cart
A horse-drawn cart and driver was the everyday transportation and labor that sustained the United States during the American Civil War era. Simple wagons like this were essential for moving supplies, equipment, and goods across rough terrain at a time when railroads were still expanding and mechanized transport was limited.
Protest Against Child Labor in a Labor Parade
Two young girls stand at the forefront of a labor parade in New York City on May 1, 1909, wearing banners calling for the abolition of child labor in English and Yiddish. At the time, many children worked long hours in factories and mills, sparking public concern and reform efforts. Protests like this helped push forward laws that limited child labor and improved working conditions in the United States.
Spring Pulpwood Drive on the Brown Company Timber Holdings in Maine
Loggers guide pulpwood across floating timbers at Long Pond in Maine during the spring drive of 1943, using pike poles to control the movement of logs into a sluiceway. Seasonal log drives were a critical part of the northern timber industry, moving cut wood from remote forests to mills by water when rivers and ponds thawed. Operations like those run by the Brown Company supplied raw material for paper production, supporting wartime demand for packaging, printing, and military needs.
Pres. Wilson Throwing Out 1st Ball, Opening Ballgame, Griffiths Ball Park, 1916, Wash. D.C.
Woodrow Wilson throws the ceremonial first pitch at a 1916 opening day game at Griffith Stadium. The tradition of a president opening the baseball season dates back to the early 20th century and connected the sport to national life. At the time, baseball was firmly established as a major part of American culture, drawing large crowds and serving as a shared pastime across the country.
Farmers Freezing Ice Cream. Pie Town, New Mexico
Two farmers in Pie Town, New Mexico make ice cream by hand in June 1940, using buckets packed with ice brought in from miles away. In this rural community, ice was scarce and often stored in small homemade houses insulated with sawdust. When a supply arrived, families gathered to share it, turning a simple treat into a social event that reflected the resourcefulness and close-knit life of the area.
Victory Food from American Waters
A fisherman unloads baskets of rosefish from a dockside net in 1942, part of the steady supply of seafood moving from American waters to processing plants during World War II. The catch would be inspected, prepared, and shipped to help feed U.S. troops at home and overseas. Commercial fishing played an important role in the wartime economy, supporting both civilian needs and the military through increased food production.
National Association of Army Nurses of the Civil War, 1861-1865 / by E. Chickering & Co.
Members of the National Association of Army Nurses of the Civil War gather for a group portrait in Boston, Massachusetts in 1904, decades after their service during the American Civil War. At the center stands Clara Barton, one of the most recognized figures in wartime nursing and later founder of the American Red Cross. These women cared for wounded soldiers in hospitals and field settings.
Union Train Station in Washington, D.C.
Travelers walk along the platform at Union Station in December 1964 as passengers board and depart The Patriot bound for Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. During the mid-20th century, rail travel remained a major part of long-distance transportation in the United States, linking major cities along the East Coast and moving millions of passengers each year.
Fourth of July Afternoon, Merton, Wisconsin
An older resident sits quietly on a porch in Merton, Wisconsin on the afternoon of Independence Day in 1941. An American flag hangs nearby as the small town marks the nation’s birthday during a time of uncertainty in the months before the United States entered World War II.
New York, New York Students Pledging Allegiance to the Flag in Public School
Students in a public school classroom in New York City stand beside their desks and salute the American flag during the Pledge of Allegiance in January 1943. The school served a largely Italian-American neighborhood at a time when the United States was deeply involved in World War II.
Celebration at Bull Run, July 21, 1911
William Howard Taft speaks before a large crowd at Bull Run in 1911 during events marking the 50th anniversary of the first major battle of the American Civil War. Veterans, officials, and spectators gathered at the historic battlefield to remember the conflict and its lasting impact.
Wichita Campaign Parade
Automobiles decorated with American flags move through the streets of Wichita, Kansas during a fundraising parade organized by the American Red Cross between 1917 and 1919. Participants carry signs calling for public support as the nation mobilizes during World War I. Parades and public drives like this were held in cities and towns across the country to raise money for medical aid, supplies, and relief efforts supporting American troops overseas.
General French, Taken in Camp on the Chickahominy, 29th of May, 1862
William Henry French, an officer in the U.S. Army’s 2nd Mounted Artillery, stands outside his field tent along the Chickahominy River in May 1862 during the American Civil War. A U.S. flag hangs at the entrance while the general appears in full uniform with sword at his side. Images like this were often produced by studios connected to Mathew B. Brady, whose photographers documented Union officers and soldiers during the war, creating some of the most enduring visual records of the conflict.
President Coolidge and Sec. of War Weeks, with High Army and Navy Officials Reviewing the Defense Day Parade
Calvin Coolidge and John W. Weeks sit with senior military leaders on a reviewing stand during the 1924 Defense Day parade. Also present are Grace Coolidge, John J. Pershing, and John L. Hines. Defense Day was organized nationwide after World War I to promote military readiness and national unity, with parades, drills, and public demonstrations held in cities across the United States.
Dedication Ceremony for the District of Columbia War Memorial Showing Military Band on Armistice Day, 1931, Washington, D.C.
Crowds gather at the District of Columbia War Memorial in Washington, D.C. on Armistice Day in 1931 as a military band stands before the newly dedicated monument. The memorial honors residents of the capital who served during World War I. In the years after the war, communities across the United States built memorials to recognize the service of local soldiers and preserve the memory of their role in the conflict.
Soldiers of the 79th New York at Camp
Soldiers of the 79th New York Infantry Regiment gather outside a canvas tent during the American Civil War. The regiment, often known as the “Highlanders,” was organized in New York City and took part in several major campaigns of the Union Army. Images like this offer a look at everyday life in a Union army camp, where soldiers spent long stretches of time resting, organizing supplies, and preparing for the next march or engagement.