Lewis Payne is also known as Lewis Thornton Powell or Lewis Paine. Either way, he was an American Confederate soldier who was accused of taking William Henry Seward’s life as part of the Lincoln assassination plot, one of the most talked about conspiracies in American history. It was believed that Lewis broke into Seward’s home the night Lincoln lost his life. In this rare photograph, Lewis Payne is seen just before his sentence.
Lewis worked for the Confederate Secret Services, and initially, he was the one supposed to kidnap Lincoln together with William Henry Seward and former Vice President Jhonson and turn them in. Then, there was a change of plan, and Lewis was appointed to kill Seward.
Mannequin Bomb Testers
The Mannequin Bomb Testers were created in the 50s of the 20th century. They were initially built in Nevada and were intended to test how people would react after a nuclear attack. Houses were constructed, cars were built, and a completely imaginary town came to life. Various shelters were built behind or beneath each house to see how efficient each one was.
Even the residents wore different kinds of material in their clothing so the effect of the attack could later be tested and compared. In this photo, we can see the result of one of the houses after an attack. No one could stay oblivious to the destructive results left after such an experiment.
The Real Anastasia
One of history's greatest mysteries is the unsolved disappearance of Anastasia Romanov, Tsar Nicholas II's daughter. Tsar Nicolas was related to the British Royal Family by being King George V's first cousin. During the revolution of 1917, Nicholas's life was taken along with his entire royal family, but since his daughter went missing, there were rumors that she had survived and vanished.
In this rare photo, Tsar Nicholas is seen with his beloved daughter as she playfully holds a cigarette to her mouth. It is believed that this photo was taken just days before the devastating execution of the entire Romanov family. Years later, it was confirmed that the remains found were indeed Anastasia and that she had lost her life brutely, too.
The Mona Lisa
Painted in 1503 by Leonardo da Vinci, the Mona Lisa has become one of the most famous female figures in art, if not THE most famous one. No trip to the Louver would ever be complete without visiting her, and it is considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Renaissance period. During WWII, there was no way a precious painting like this could have been left in the museum, and the Mona Lisa was hidden in the French countryside, away from war and in safety.
In this photo, she is seen being returned to the museum after the war ended. The Mona Lisa is one of the most valuable paintings in history; some say even more than one billion dollars.
The Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty was first built in France before arriving in New York. This photo is a rare glimpse of the statue just as it was being prepared for being shipped and pieced together very carefully on her pedestal. In the photo, you can also see the left hand holding the tablet while the workers construct the rest of her parts.
The statue was a gift of appreciation from the French government, representing their gratitude and in honor of the alliance during the American Civil War. The photo was taken in 1884 before the statue became one of America's greatest symbols that represents everything this country stands for.