South of France in 1974 Through Wonderful Color Photos

The South of France in the 1970s was a sun-drenched blend of old and new. Imagine lavender fields and ancient villages bathed in a warm, languid atmosphere. Days revolved around long lunches, the hum of cicadas, and petanque games.

Fashion was bohemian chic—flowing dresses and linen shirts. While tourism grew, bringing more diverse visitors, the region held onto its core charm: a place to slow down and savor life’s simple pleasures.

These wonderful photos were taken by Peter Marshall from a holiday in Spring in Aix-en-Provence, including visits to -de-Provence, Marseille, Arles etc. in Spring 1974.

Street vendor, Marseille harbour, Spring 1974

Palm Sunday, Provence, Spring 1974

Ampitheatre, Arles, Provence, Spring 1974

Avenue, Provence, Spring 1974

Boats in Marseille harbour, Spring 1974

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Audrey Hepburn Washing a Car on the Set of“Sabrina” (1954)

Sabrina is a 1954 American romantic comedy-drama film produced and directed by Billy Wilder, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Samuel Taylor and Ernest Lehman, based on Taylor’s 1953 play Sabrina Fair. In the film, Audrey Hepburn plays Sabrina Fairchild, the chauffeur’s daughter who transforms from a shy girl into a sophisticated woman after a trip to Paris.

The car-washing scene, while not a central moment in the final film, has become a fan-favorite due to the rare candid glimpse it offers of Audrey in a casual, almost mischievous mood. Wearing practical clothes—often seen in rolled-up jeans or slacks and a tucked-in shirt—she’s shown with a sponge in hand, grinning or concentrating as she scrubs a car, usually a classic model from the era. These photos were likely staged for publicity or captured informally between takes.

Rare Historic Photos of the Dudley Elevated Railway in the Early 1900s

The Dudley Elevated Railway was an important part of Boston’s early rapid transit system and one of the earliest elevated railways in the United States. It opened in 1901 as part of the Washington Street Elevated, a branch of what became the Orange Line.

The line was operated by the Boston Elevated Railway, which later became part of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). It ran through Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood and connected Dudley Station—now known as Nubian Station—with downtown Boston and other areas.

The elevated railway was built to reduce street-level congestion and offered fast, grade-separated service through densely populated parts of the city. Dudley Station itself was a major transit hub and featured an architecturally distinctive elevated structure.

The elevated line remained in operation for much of the 20th century, but it was eventually closed in 1987 when the Orange Line was rerouted along the Southwest Corridor. The elevated tracks were dismantled, but Dudley Station continued to serve as a major bus terminal and was renamed Nubian Station in 2020.

These vintage photos from City of Boston Archives show what the Dudley Elevated Railway looked like from the early 1900s.

Dudley Street Terminal, Boston, April 8, 1900

Dudley Street Station, surface tracks, east side, Boston, April 12, 1901

Switch Tower junction, Washington Street and Dudley Street, Boston, April 12, 1901

Looking south from Dudley Street switch tower, Boston, April 26, 1901

Looking northerly on Washington Street from Dudley Street switch tower, Boston, April 26, 1901

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The 11A Mystery: Two Plane Crashes, Two Survivors, and One Seat Number

Thai singer Ruangsak Loychsuk, who survived a 1998 plane crash, shared a chilling coincidence after learning that the sole survivor of the recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad was seated in the exact same seat, 11A, as he was during his own 1998 disaster.

On December 11, 1998, 20-year-old Ruangsak Loychusak cheated death when Thai Airways Flight TG261 stalled and plunged into a swamp while attempting to land in southern Thailand, killing 101 of the 146 people on board.

Ruangsak, now 47, said he had goosebumps after learning that Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national who had a miraculous escape in the Air India Flight AI171 crash, was seated in 11A when the plane went down.

“The lone survivor of the plane crash in India was sitting in the same seat number as me, 11A. Goosebumps”, Loychusak wrote on Facebook in Thai.

Ruangsak shared that the crash left deep trauma. For 10 years, he feared flying, avoided people and got anxious seeing clouds.

“I avoided speaking to anyone and always stared outside the window, blocking anyone from closing it to maintain my sense of safety,” he said. “If I saw dark clouds or a rainstorm outside, I would feel terrible, like I was in hell. I can still remember the sounds, smells, and even the taste of the water in the swamp the plane crashed into. For a long time, I would keep the feelings to myself.”

Though he doesn’t have his old boarding pass, newspaper reports confirmed his seat number. He offered condolences to all who lost loved ones in the recent tragedy and said surviving gave him a “second life”.

The Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick, crashed into buildings shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12, 2025. The aircraft exploded in a fireball, killing 243 of the 244 people on board.

The only survivor, Ramesh from Leicester, England, sharing his shocking account of the disaster, described how he was “ejected” from the jet before it hit the ground and exploded. “I don’t know how I came out of it alive. For a while, I thought I was about to die. But when I opened my eyes, I saw I was alive. And I opened my seatbelt and got out of there,” adding how two cabin crew members “died before my eyes.”

His seat, located beside the emergency exit, detached as the aircraft struck the ground, an occurrence that may have saved his life. He recalled how the pilots tried to raise the jet, but it “went full speed and crashed into the building.”

Ramesh explained how the plane quickly caught fire following the crash, and said he burned his arm.

“When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital,” he said.

No one can explain a coincidence like that. Two men, years apart, both surviving the impossible — from the same seat.

30 Fascinating Portraits of Dorothy McGuire in the 1940s

Dorothy McGuire (June 14, 1916 – September 13, 2001) was a celebrated American actress in the 1940s, known for her naturalistic acting style and girl-next-door charm. Her film career blossomed during this decade, as she transitioned from Broadway to Hollywood.

McGuire made a strong impression with her screen debut in Claudia (1943), reprising the role she played on Broadway. The film showcased her subtle, nuanced performance style, which contrasted with the more glamorous stars of the era. She starred as a mute servant in the psychological thriller The Spiral Staircase (1946), directed by Robert Siodmak. The role allowed her to demonstrate remarkable expressiveness without dialogue, further establishing her as a serious dramatic actress.

One of her most prominent roles of the decade, McGuire starred opposite Gregory Peck in the groundbreaking drama about antisemitism Gentleman’s Agreement (1947), directed by Elia Kazan. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and McGuire received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

Dorothy McGuire was not known for Hollywood glamour in the traditional sense. Instead, she became a favorite for roles that required intelligence, empathy, and depth. Her fashion and appearance often mirrored the grounded, middle-class characters she portrayed—modest dresses, natural hair, and a quiet elegance that resonated with audiences of the time. Here’s a selection of 30 fascinating photos of a young Dorothy in the 1940s:

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U.S and Mexico Soldiers on the Arizona Border, 1915

This historical photograph, taken in 1915 at the Mexico-United States border in Agua Prieta, Sonora, captures a significant moment in time along the international boundary. Two soldiers are shown standing guard at the border crossing, each representing their respective nations. On the American side, Soldier Douglas stands vigilant, while on the Mexican side, Soldier Simon Montes does the same. Their positions mark the tense and charged atmosphere that defined this period in history.

The USA and Mexico “border” in the year 1915 was only a mear line that divided both countries. This specific divide was between Arizona and Sonora Mexico during “The Battle of Nogales” and also during the Mexican Revolutionary War. 

During this time, the border line was widely open and easy to cross. People frequently crossed for work, trade and family visits without passports or visas.

Before Fame, Rarely Seen Photos of Young Boy George in His Punk Days

Boy George, born George O’Dowd on June 14, 1961, was certainly present in the vibrant London music and fashion scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s, which included the tail end of punk and the rise of New Romanticism. While he wasn’t a “punk” in the traditional sense of adhering strictly to the music or ideology, the punk movement significantly influenced his early style and artistic development.

Punk opened the door for radical fashion experimentation and a DIY attitude. Boy George, even in his pre-teens, was already pushing boundaries with his clothing choices, borrowing from his older brother’s punk gear and even getting expelled from school for his flamboyant appearance.

George was deeply inspired by David Bowie, Marc Bolan, and later the Sex Pistols and Siouxsie Sioux. He immersed himself in the punk and post-punk subcultures of London, especially the underground club scene. He was a regular at the Blitz Club, a key venue for the New Romantic movement, where he mixed with creatives like Steve Strange, Marilyn, and Spandau Ballet. His distinctive look caught the eye of Malcolm McLaren, the former manager of the Sex Pistols, who even recruited him to perform with his band Bow Wow Wow under the stage name “Lieutenant Lush.”

Boy George eventually left Bow Wow Wow and formed Culture Club in 1981, which went on to become immensely successful. His iconic look as the frontman of Culture Club, with its blend of diverse cultural references and emphasis on individual expression, solidified his status as a fashion icon.

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