Paris in the 1890s
This picture of Paris was taken during what was called “La Belle Epoque” or “the beautiful epoch,” a moment in French history preceding the outbreak of the First World War. Historians say it was one of the most vivacious times in history, with department stores opening at every corner and horse-drawn omni buses being pulled around the streets. The city also saw the rise of the Eiffel Tower a few years before the turn of the decade. Referred to as “la dame de fer,” or the Iron Lady, it is unclear whether the citizens knew what a big draw it would later become for their country.