A Public Domain Halloween

Hidden gems from the public archives of America

Lurking within the Library of Congress is a colossal collection of photographs documenting the United States in all its diversity, providing us with a glimpse into 20th century American life.

The modern ingredients of Halloween, from trick-or-treating to Jack-O-lanterns, are arguably a very American tradition, adapted from Irish and Scottish immigrant celebrations during the 19th century.

Remastered Photographs by Jordan Acosta

*Image 4 of Halloween decorations on Route 30; Farm markets on Route 30, New Jersey.* (⇲ Library of Congress) **Photograph** Joseph P. Czarnecki, October 30th, 1983

*Spooky doorway to a Halloween-season attraction in Fort Worth, Texas.* (⇲ Library of Congress) **Photograph** Carol M. Highsmith, September 8th, 2014

*[Kids wearing masks for Halloween]* (⇲ Library of Congress) **Photograph** Angelo Rizzuto, October 1964

*Children Enjoy a Halloween Party at the Lewis Center. Photograph Taken for the Bureau of Recreation.* (⇲ University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection) **Photograph** Pittsburgh City Photographer, October 1925

*Halloween party at State Normal School, Kearney, Nebraska.* (⇲ Library of Congress) **Photograph** Solomon D. Butcher, 1908

**L-R:** *Girls Inspect Pumpkin [a]t the Kenwood School Halloween Party. [Nancy Lee] Holmberg is on the left.* (⇲ Hennepin County Library Digital Collections) **Photograph** Powell Krueger, 1944 / Halloween Image. (⇲ US National Archives and Records Administration) **Photograph** Martin Brown, c.1973 / Halloween: Three boys on porch steps cutting faces in pumpkins, c.1917. (⇲ Library of Congress)

*The children crowd and push to reach the refreshments at Halloween party in Shafter migrant camp. California.* (⇲ Library of Congress) **Photograph** Dorothea Lange, November 1938

*Halloween party at Shafter migrant camp, California.* (⇲ New York Public Library Digital Collections) **Photograph** Dorothea Lange, November 1938

*Image 1 of Warren Grove Firehouse Halloween party, Warren Grove, New Jersey.* (⇲ Library of Congress) **Photograph** Nora Jane Rubinstein, October 29th, 1983

*Image 12 of Warren Grove Firehouse Halloween party, Warren Grove, New Jersey.* (⇲ Library of Congress) **Photograph** Nora Jane Rubinstein, October 29th, 1983

All the black and white Public Domain photographs in this Viewfinder gallery have been meticulously restored from a high resolution digital scan from their original source. Share and use these remastered high resolution black & white historical pictures, for free, with Unsplash.

Download & Share

This Viewfinder gallery was originally published October 21, 2021.

Jordan Acosta is the Creative Director of Unseen Histories, bringing the past to life for the BBC, The Times and Unsplash. He's responsible for restoring and remastering the images in this feature.

📚 Browse the Bookshelf
📸 Dive into our Features
🎤 Read Interviews
🎧 Listen to Podcasts
🖼️ Buy fine art prints & more at our Store