Vintage Photographs Compare Wall Street and Trinity Church in 1880 and 1904

New York historical blog Stuff Nobody Cares About recently dug up these great vintage photos showing the evolution of Wall Street between 1880 and 1904. The older photograph is taken from the intersection of Broad and Wall Streets, with Federal Hall off camera on the right. The newer photograph was taken a little farther east facing the same direction, with Federal Hall clearly in view. Both photographs frame Trinity Church at the center.

In the 1880 photo the church clock indicates it is 9:40 in the morning. Wall street looks almost provincial with gas lit lamps and small five story buildings, mainly housing insurance companies, brokers and banks. With the wild stock swings in this tumultuous era, many firms were here today, gone tomorrow.

Check out the accompanying article for more analysis of the two photos.