Historical Photos Show the Joy of Making Snowmen

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Historical Photos Show the Joy of Making Snowmen

Berliners posing with a snow Queen Wilhelmina, Princess Juliana, and dog, 1913.

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. — The first ever photo of a snowman, believed to be taken in Wales. | Mary Dillwyn/National Library of Wales

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 large group poses with a snowman in Sweden, 1920.

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. — Children gather around a snowman in Newhall, Iowa, 1918.

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. — A snow monster in Istanbul, 1929.

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 giant snowman titled ‘The Father of the Glaciers’. It is thought to be taken at Muir Glacier in Alaska. | Clarence Lee Andrew

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. — ‘Mr. Snow’ in Ohingaiti, New Zealand. Taken in 1898. | Edward George Child

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. — Young geisha with a Yukidaruma (snowman representation), 1907.

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 snow woman, circa 1910.

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. — Vaudeville star Fritzi Ridgeway with a snowman, 1924. | Harris & Ewing

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. — ‘The Snowman’ | Louis Fleckenstein

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 snowman in Tennesse, 1912.

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. — A Finnish family with a snowman, 1912.

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. — Postcard of French children with snowman, circa 1910.

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. — Boy with snowman and snow shoes, circa 1910.

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. — Stalin as a snowman. Built by Lithuanian partisans fighting against the Soviets in 1947.

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. — British army gunners build a snowman near their Bofors anti-aircraft gun in Italy, January 6, 1945.

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. — Beatrix and Irene make a snowman on vacation in St. Anton, Austria, circa 1950.

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. — Berlin cab drivers building a snow family, 1931.

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. — Snowman in the Hotel Kosciusko area of New South Wales, Australia, 1937.

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. — Australians of a R.A.A.F. Wellington squadron in Italy build a snowman and prepare to ‘take him for a ride’”, circa 1945.

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. — A child in Jerusalem is delighted with her snow creature, circa 1934.

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 snowman is carted around in Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Paris, 1933. | Peyriras

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 snow tribute to Queen Victoria.

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. — Snowman in Moscow, 1906.

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. — A ‘snow suffragette’ in Illinois, Christmas Day, 1915.

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. — Building a snowman in Lehtimaki, Finland, 1914.

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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