As this photographic site attests, "there are some stories that can only be told with pictures".  

PictureHistory.Com has an incredible archive of thousands of poignant photographs from the last 150 years of our nation's history, photographs that communicate our greatest
trials and our greatest triumphs.

Browse the collection by Theme, use the search tool to find a specific time period or picture, and check out the Featured Image of the Day.  Be sure to explore the section entitled "Defining Moments", which contains amazing photographs and accompanying essays on key moments in American History, including striking images of Lincoln,
Eisenhower, and General Robert E. Lee.

http://www.picture-history.com/