Historical Photos Show the Joy of Making Snowmen

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Vintage photo of six people standing around a snowwoman and snowdog in a snowy park. They are dressed in early 20th-century clothing, with men in coats and bowler hats, and a child in a coat and hat. Snow-covered trees and a lamppost are in the background.

With “once-in-a-lifetime” snow falling in unusual places like Louisiana and Florida, what better time to get out a selection of historic snowman photos for PetaPixel’s semi-regular feature: historical Fridays.

The splendid set of photos, taken between 1854 and 1950, have been curated by The Public Domain Review which describes photography as a gift to snowmen. “What can better freeze a scene and ensure that spring’s ablation never comes?” writes the online journal.

A vintage photograph shows a person in a coat and hat building a snowman, while another person in a suit and hat stands nearby holding a snowball. A wooden wheelbarrow is in the snowy foreground, and trees are in the background.

Back in 2016, what is thought to be the first ever photograph of a snowman was discovered in Wales, U.K. taken by Mary Dillwyn in 1853 who was not only the first-ever female photographer from Wales but was also related through marriage to William Henry Fox Talbot; one of the first people to discover photography.

Bob Eckstein, an American cartoonist and writer, is the world’s foremost historian of snowmen (yes, really). The Public Domain Review notes that in his book History of the Snowman, Eckstein reveals that the end of prohibition did wonders for the American snowman who “established his reputation as a fun drunk.”

A group of people wearing vintage clothing stands next to a large snowman in front of a wooden house. The group appears to be from an older era, with hats and long coats. Snow covers the ground and roof. The scene looks festive and wintery.

A vintage black-and-white photo shows a group of people, including children and adults, standing next to a large snowman. The snowman has a hat and buttons, and the ground is covered in snow. The group appears to be posing happily.

Two men stand beside a large snowman resembling a humanoid figure with pronounced features, including carved eyes and a mouth. The background shows rustic wooden buildings and barren trees. The photo appears vintage, adding to the scene's nostalgic feel.

Four people stand in front of a large snowman sculpture resembling a human figure with outstretched arms. The snowman has a carved face and legs spread apart. The environment is snowy, and a handwritten note reads "The Father of the Glaciers.

A snow sculpture of a seated figure with a hat and facial features, including a dark mustache, is positioned outdoors. Text at the bottom reads "MY SNOW BINGAL" with additional notes. A wooden building is in the background.

A vintage photo of a person with an elaborate hairstyle wearing a traditional outfit, standing next to a snowman. The snowman has round eyes and a simple mouth. The person is playfully interacting with the snowman.

A vintage photograph shows a person sculpting a snowwoman with a shawl on a snowy hillside. A few others stand nearby, and a backdrop of tall trees is visible.

A woman in a sleeveless black outfit and heeled boots stands joyfully next to a snowman wearing a cap. The snowy landscape is visible in the background under a clear sky.

Two people build a snowman in a snowy landscape. The snowman has a hat, eyes, a nose, and a scarf. One person is holding a snowball, and the other is placing snow on the snowman's head. Trees are in the background.

Black and white photo of a snow figure resembling a person, adorned with leaf decorations on the head and buttons. It stands in a snowy yard with trees and a house in the background.

A group of five children wearing winter clothing stands and sits around a small snowman in a field with sparse snow. Four children are standing, and one is seated on a chair. Trees are visible in the background.

Children dressed in colorful winter clothes gather around a snowman with a hat, in a wintry setting with bare branches in the background. The scene has a nostalgic, vintage postcard feel.

Vintage photo of a child standing next to a snowman with large snowshoes leaning on it. In the background, leafless trees and a fence can be seen. The ground is covered with snow. The image has a sepia tone.

A group of people in winter clothing sit and stand around a large snow sculpture shaped like a person in a wooded area. The snow figure features arms and a roughly carved face. Snow covers the ground and trees in the background.

Two men in military uniforms build a large snowman in a snowy field. The snowman is adorned with a helmet and branches for arms. In the background, a soldier operates an anti-aircraft gun. Trees and a utility pole are visible in the distance.

Two children in winter coats and hats build a snowman, adding buttons and adjusting its scarf. The snowman wears a pointed hat and has a carrot nose. Snow covers the ground, with mountains visible in the background.

Two men sculpt snow figures on a bench in a snowy urban setting. The figures include a seated child, a woman reading a newspaper, a man with a cane and top hat, and a small dog. Buildings and bare trees are visible in the background.

A vintage photo of a snowman wearing a black hat. The snowman has a small mouth and stick arms with gloves. It stands on a snowy landscape with hills in the background.

Five men wearing winter clothing stand beside a snow-covered car, which has a snowman wearing a hat on its hood. Snow blankets the ground and trees in the background, creating a wintry scene.

A child in a winter coat and hat stands beside a snowman with twig arms and two lumps for ears. The snowman is in a snowy courtyard with trees and a building in the background. The child appears to be smiling.

Children are gathered around and building a snowman on a snowy pathway, with trees and a large building in the background. Some hold snow and sticks to add to the snowman, and the ground is partially covered with snow.

A person sculpting a large, detailed snowwoman in a snowy forest. The person is wearing a dark coat and hat, bending forward while working on the sculpture. Trees covered in snow are visible in the background.

A large snowman with a detailed face, including eyes and a mouth, stands in a snowy area. Trees with bare branches are visible in the background. The snowman has rounded, bulky arms and a textured surface.

Two children stand in front of a large snowman. The snowman has a rounded body and head, with roughly shaped facial features. The scene is set outdoors, with snow visible on the ground.

Five children bundled in winter clothing stand around a snowman with a hat, set outdoors near a wooden fence and trees. Two of the children sit on sleds, and there's a snowy landscape in the background.

If you’re looking for a set of photos to make you feel a little warmer then why not check out these photos from 1911 showing New Yorker struggling to cope in a heatwave.

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