It’s the street that’s been synonymous of financial transactions and not without reason. Wall street hosts the New York Stock Exchange and is where the heart of the global economy beats. But why was it called that way?
Well, as it turns out, it was indeed named after a wall.
During the 17th century, the city of New York belonged to the Dutch and was called New Amsterdam. In 1640, Peter Stuyvesant, which was the governor of the city, built a wooden wall that was 0,7 miles (1,1 km) in length and 13 foot (4 meters) in height that demarcated the northern border of Manhattan island. The wall was built to deal with the displaced native Americans as well as the other European settlers who arrived in the region. Later, in 1699, the wall was dismantled by the British colonial government, but the name of the street stuck. (the article continues after the ad)
Since 1711, the area of Wall Street functioned as the official slave market of the city where one could buy, sell or rent slaves (Africans and native Americans). On May 17, 1792, the slave trade was abolished as the NYSE was officially opened.
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Main Article Photos: Wikimedia, Max Pixel
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Source: Why Is It Called ‘Wall Street’? | Where does the name “Wall Street” come from?