Rare Images Depicting American Life in the 19th Century

Some images show life in the American West, which would have been encouraged by the Homestead Acts.

pictures of america in the 1800s

Women on an ivy-covered porch, Cannelton, Indiana

Daily Life America 1860s

Brink & Ransom on Second Street in Louisville, Kentucky

pictures of america in the 19th century

Everett's Drug Store, Henry, Illinois

pictures of america in the 19th century

Umbrella Rock on Lookout Mountain at Chattanooga, Tennessee

photos of united states in the 19th century

Two women standing by a grave in Kenyon-Rosse Chapel Cemetery, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio

Daily Life America 1800s

Dedication of an early Civil War monument, Hopkinton, Iowa

The impact of the Industrial Revolution is clear, as new technology and factories appear.

Daily Life America 1800s

The crew of the steam-powered fire engine ‘Francis S. Bartow' pose on the streets of Savannah, Georgia

Daily Life America 1800s

Train wreck in Richmondville, New York

photos of united states in the 19th century

Doors Sash & Blinds, Northfield, Minnesota

photos of united states in the 19th century

The W.K. Lewis & Brothers Condensed Milk Manufactory in West Brookfield, Massachusetts

photos of united states in the 19th century

An interior view of Colby's Clothing Store with its staff, Taunton, Massachusetts

The photographs of 19th-century America also show how people spent their leisure time.

Daily Life America 1800s

Party at Judges' Cave Rock, New Haven, Connecticut

photos of united states in the 19th century

Soldiers and their ladies at play, New York City

photos of united states in the 19th century

A group poses in front of a house in Saratoga Springs, New York

photos of united states in the 19th century

Seven men and an intrepid dog are perched on top of Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

Daily Life 19th century America

Boys at a woodpile, somewhere in Wisconsin or Connecticut

h/t: [Vintage Everyday]

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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