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20 Photos From The Roaring '20s That Prove It Was More Fun Than The 2020s

We're not even halfway through the 2020s, and they've already proven themselves to be more than a little bit wild. But, as crazy as it sounds, the 1920s were just as unpredictable and revolutionary in their own unique way. From flappers to Prohibition to the rise of jazz, the 1920s were a wild time full of history-making moments!

Today, we're taking a look at some photos from the 1920s that illustrate just how exciting and change-filled this decade truly was. Some might even argue that they have us beat in the fun department, but we'll leave that up to you to decide! 

Let's get started. 

Building the Roaring '20s

Building the Roaring '20s

In this photo, we see construction workers in the process of building something right at the turn of the 1920s. 

It's too early in development to know what this structure will ultimately be, but there's a good chance that the finished building was decked out in the gorgeous art deco style of the era. 

(Jeanne Menjourlet/Maroc, années 1920, les années folles. Construction. Marocco during the Roaring Twenties./CC BY-ND 2.0)

Playing Around

Playing Around

Tennis was a rising hot trend in the 1920s, and these two ladies are enjoying a game on the tennis court at the Holton-Arms School in Washington, D.C.

The Holton-Arms School is a girl's preparatory academy that opened in the early 1900s and is still active today. Notable alumni include Jackie Kennedy and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss. 

HUM Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Special Delivery

Special Delivery

This turkey has been specially delivered from Chicago to the White House, but don't expect any pardons for this poor guy; that tradition didn't get started until the late 1980s! 

Trucks as a form of shipping were just starting to take off in the 1920s. At the time, trains were the dominant mode of transporting goods across our nation, but trucks would soon overtake them as the primary mode for shipping. 

Buyenlarge/Archive Photos/Getty Images

Enjoying the Ice

Enjoying the Ice

Ice skating was a popular form of entertainment in the cold months during the 1920s, but this is no amateur fan enjoying the activity! 

This is a photo of Charles Jewtraw, an American speed skater who would go on to win the very first gold medal of the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924. 

George Rinhart/Corbis Historical/Getty Images

Don't Say a Word

Don't Say a Word

When it comes to the wildly popular silent films of the 1920s, no one was a bigger star than Clara Bow. While we might toss around the term "it girl" these days, Bow is notable for being the first star the term was applied to. 

By the end of the '20s, Hollywood was quickly transitioning to talking films, and Bow managed to make a successful career with those as well. She retired from acting entirely in 1933. 

Eugene Robert Richee/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The Electrifying '20s

The Electrifying '20s

It's kind of crazy to think about Thomas Edison living in the 20th century, but the famed inventor did indeed live to see the Roaring '20s himself. 

While his most famous inventions may have been behind him by the time the '20s rolled around, Edison kept himself busy with work right up until his death in 1931. 

Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The Beginning of Something Big

The Beginning of Something Big

While the NFL existed in the 1920s, the sport of football wasn't nearly as famous as it is today. However, the famed Chicago Bears halfback Red Grange would soon help change all that. 

This photo was taken of Grange after his final game with the University of Illinois. Shortly after this win, Grange announced his intentions to sign with the Bears. And the rest is history! 

Underwood Archives/Archive Photos/Getty Images

A Strange Member of the First Family

A Strange Member of the First Family

If you thought that people were crazy about their pets these days, just be glad you didn't know First Lady Grace Coolidge when her husband was in the White House! 

In this photo, Mrs. Coolidge is posing with her pet raccoon, Rebecca. Apparently, a supporter had sent the raccoon with the intention that the Coolidges would eat it for Thanksgiving, but that didn't happen, and it quickly became a family pet. 

PhotoQuest/Archive Photos/Getty Images

The Little Tramp

The Little Tramp

By the time the 1920s rolled around, Charlie Chaplin was already a major Hollywood star thanks to the success of his character, the Tramp, in the 1910s. 

However, the 1920s saw Chaplin star in some of his most famous full-length movies, including The Kid and The Gold Rush

Silver Screen Collection/Moviepix/Getty Images

Style in the '20s

Style in the '20s

These days, the name Coco Chanel is synonymous with style and fashion, but that great name recognition wouldn't have been possible without Chanel's immense success during the 1920s. 

Some of her biggest fashion hits came from this era, including the iconic Chanel suit, her promotion of large costume jewelry, and the signature Chanel No. 5 perfume scent. 

adoc-photos/Corbis Historical/Getty Images

The Youthful '20s

The Youthful '20s

Even the children of the 1920s wanted in on the fashion trends of the era. Bob haircuts and other short hairstyles were big during this time. 

Other fashion trends of the '20s included the classic Flapper look, simple elegance (inspired by Coco Chanel) and vivid geometric patterns (taken from the Art Deco style). 

(John Atherton/1920s Fashions for young Flappers/CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED/Flickr)

Striking a Pose

Striking a Pose

With the advent of digital technology, real family photos like these are a bit of a rarity these days. However, this photo from the 1920s is also part of another trend that has waned in popularity over the years. 

This family photo is actually a postcard as well! We don't remember the last time we sent one of those, but we'd love to receive one with these good-looking folks on it! 

(pellethepoet/Fancy dress (c.192)/CC BY 2.0 DEED/Flickr)

The Winner Takes All

The Winner Takes All

Beauty pageants have become a staple of American life over the years, but in the 1920s, they were just starting to appear and become popular. After the success of the original Miss America Pageant in 1921, more started to take off. 

In this photo, we see the winners of the Washington Bathing Beach beauty contest in 1922. If this contest was held today, we imagine that there would be quite a bit more skin! 

(Cardboard America™/Four Prize Winners in Annual Beauty Show - Washington, D.C./CC BY 2.0 DEED/Flickr)

Behind the Wheel

Behind the Wheel

People these days may think that going overboard with your pets is a modern phenomenon, but this photo proves that people have always been a little bit silly about our furry friends. 

We know that the 1920s were a freewheeling time, but we still have a hard time believing that this Boston Terrier successfully passed his driving test! 

H. Armstrong Roberts/Retrofile RF/Getty Images

Beach Days

Beach Days

While their swimsuits may look a little different than ours, there's no denying that people in the 1920s loved a good day at the beach just as much as we do today. 

As crazy as it might sound now, bathing suits like these were considered revolutionary (and controversial) at the time, as they allowed women more freedom of movement than the designs from earlier eras. 

H. Armstrong Roberts/Retrofile RF/Getty Images

The Prohibition Era

The Prohibition Era

While the 1920s in the United States is commonly seen as a time of social revolution, it's also important to remember that this was the era of Prohibition as well. 

The 18th Amendment to the Constitution criminalized the production, transport, and sale of alcohol, so many police departments (like this one in Seattle) set up specific divisions for the enforcement of this amendment. 

(Seattle Municipal Archives/Seattle Police Department Dry Squad, 1921/CC BY 2.0 DEED/Flickr)

Partying the Night Away

Partying the Night Away

A réveillon is a french party that begins the night before Christmas or New Year's and doesn't end until the next morning. This tradition extends back to the 18th century. 

However, these all-night parties understandably became quite popular in the 1920s, like this one where a group of women in Paris celebrate the impending New Year. 

FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images

A Tip of the Cap

A Tip of the Cap

Despite feeling like they are from an earlier era, straw hats (known as boaters) were actually a big fashion trend in the 1920s.

In this photo, a group of women has surrounded a giant replica of a boater as they toss their old felt hats in exchange for the newer, trendy straw hats. 

Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone/Getty Images

The Beach Band

The Beach Band

Public beaches were popping up left and right in the 1920s, and they quickly became a hot spot for socialization and partying during this era. 

In this photo, jazz musician Bennie Krueger and his band entertain beachgoers in Brooklyn while a flapper dances on top of their piano. 

Bettmann/Bettmann/Getty Images

The Jazz Age

The Jazz Age

While jazz originated in the American South, it quickly gained national popularity as the musical genre spread to other major cities like New York and Chicago. 

Some of the biggest names in the world of jazz came from this era, including Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Bessie Smith. 

Chicago History Museum/Archive Photos/Getty Images