Here Are Some Of The Oldest Photos Ever Taken In Massachusetts And They’re Incredible

There’s nothing like discovering an old photo and reminiscing about days gone by. While these historic photographs of Massachusetts are quite a bit older than those you're likely to discover in your attic, they still make us feel connected to our history. We’ve collected some of the oldest photographs of Massachusetts ever taken. Take a look into the past below:

1. This picture of Boston from 1860 is the oldest known photograph taken from the air in the world.

It was taken by James Wallace Black while he sailed over the city in a hot air balloon. You can see Old South and Trinity Church, two Boston landmarks that still draw visitors today. The photograph is titled "Boston, as the Eagle and Wild Goose See It."

2. Harriet Beecher Stowe's house in Andover, 1865

3. Interior of a hospital's women's ward, mid-1800s.

4. Major General William Francis Bartlett in Pittsfield, 1865

5. A parade on Columbus Avenue in Boston, 1875

6. Boston City Hall as it stood in 1865

7. Ponakin Road Bridge spanning Nashua River on Ponakin Road, Lancaster, 1865

8. A master bedroom in Massachusetts, 1885

9. The view from the Boston State House, 1858

10. View from the Boston State House looking south, 1858

11. Ships sailing out of Boston, 1900

12. A festive shot of Faneuil Hall, 1870

13. A Chinese funeral in Boston, 1908

14. A "consumptive home" for victims of tuberculosis, 1870s.

15. Hotel Pelham in Boston, 1850

16. A quiet library filled with men researching statistics, 1900

17. A packed street car, 1900

What do you think of these old Massachusetts pictures? They really make you appreciate your Bay State roots, don't they? Do you recognize any spots that are still around today? Let us know below!

For more amazing historic photographs of Massachusetts, check out these rare photos taken during WWII.