Wall Street, New York City

Engraving of the old Wall Street, looking west toward the Trinity Church. Original title: Custom House, Wall St. Drawn by Charles Burton, engraved by George W. Hatch & James Smillie. Copyright 1831 by George Melksham Bourne (1806-1887), publisher. Source: New York Public Library.

Comments by I. N. Phelps Stokes on The Iconography of Manhattan Island..., 1918, a bout a similar view dated by him about 1829, makes the illustration here to be dated the same year. Stokes believed that this Bourne's view was the original one.

The Custom House, on the right, was housed in a former bookstore and reading room on the northeast corner of Wall and Nassau streets, from 1817 to 1834. The building was demolished for construction of a new Custom House in a Greek Revival style on the same site, completed in 1842, today the Federal Hall National Memorial.

The First Presbyterian Church, on the north side of Wall Street, was founded in 1716, as a Presbyterian Meeting. It was rebuilt in 1748 and in 1810. A fire in 1834 destroyed its steeple, which was replaced by a pointed steeple.

The second temple of Trinity Church on Broadway was completed in 1890 and was demolished in 1839. The present Gothic temple was consecrated in 1846.

At the time, Wall Street was already home of several banks, brokers offices and insurance companies.

More: Broad Street in 19th century ►