Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, was the first permanent home of the New York Stock Exchange. The street runs through the historical center of the Financial District.
The street name was derived from the 17th century when Wall Street formed the northern boundary of the New Amsterdam settlement. Later a stronger stockade was constructed. In 1685 surveyors laid out Wall Street along the lines of the original stockade. The British colonial government dismantled the wall in 1699.
In the late 18th century, there was a buttonwood tree at the foot of Wall Street under which traders and speculators gathered to trade informally. The traders formalized their association with the Buttonwood Agreement, in 1792. This was the origin of the New York Stock Exchange.
George Washington took the oath of office on the balcony of Federal Hall overlooking Wall Street on April 30, 1789. This was also the location of the passing of the Bill of Rights.
In 1889, the original stock report, Customers’ Afternoon Letter, became The Wall Street Journal.—wikipedia.org.
