Manhattan Company Building
The Manhattan Company was established in 1799 with a purpose of furnishing New York with water. The Bank of the Manhattan Company was established in the same year and an office was opened at 40 Wall Street. The New York Stock & Exchange also operated on the same building from 1817 to 1819.
In 1839, the company constructed a two story granite building. In 1848, a new three-story building was completed in Greek Revival style. Later one more story was added. It was replaced by the Manhattan and Merchants' Bank Building in 1883-1884.
The 71-story, 927-foot-tall Manhattan Company Building or 40 Wall Street (Trump Building) was built from May 1929 to May 1930. It was the tallest building in the world for about two months, when it was surpassed by Chrysler Building. The building is crowned by a pyramidal roof capped by a spire.
In 1955, the Bank of the Manhattan Company merged with Chase National Bank to form Chase Manhattan Bank. In 1995, Donald Trump took over 40 Wall Street.
Forty Wall Street Tower by Irving Underhill, 1930.
The 40 Wall Street in a vintage postcard from Manhattan Card Publishing Co., postmark 1932.
The40 Wall Street under construction in 1929 (source: "The Manhattan Company Building" scrapbook).
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Manhattan Company Building