History of the New York Stock Exchange Compiled by Ellen Terrell Business Reference Services May 2004 Updated October 2012              Introduction         Additional Reading         Internet Resources           Catalog Searches Introduction The history of the New York Stock Exchange begins with the signing of the Buttonwood Agreement by twenty-four New York City stockbrokers and merchants on May 17, 1792, outside at 68 Wall Street under a Buttonwood tree. In the beginning there were five securities traded in New York City with the first listed company on the NYSE being the Bank of New York. The 24 brokers who signed the agreement, thus becoming the first NYSE members were:

Above: Buttonwood diorama. NYSE. Museum of the City of New York from the Gottscho-Schleisner Collection (Library of Congress) Reproduction number: LC-G612-T-47539-A

(Source: The NYSE Euronext Web Site: History- http://www.nyse.com/about/history/1089312755484.html )

On April 4, 2007, the NYSE Group, Inc. combined with Euronext N.V. to create the holding company NYSE Euronext. NYSE Euronext (NYSE/New York and Euronext/Paris: NYX) describes itself as "the world ' s largest and most liquid exchange group ... [comprised of] six cash equities exchanges in five countries and six derivatives exchanges."
(Source: The NYSE Euronext Web Site: Home page, http://www.nyse.com/about/1088808971270.html )

Additional Sources

Internet Resources

• NYSE Facts and Figures (formerly NYSE Factbook)
• NYSE - Timeline
• Securities and Exchange Commission Historical Society

  In the PAPERS section, interesting items such as signatures from the Buttonwood Agreement, Transcript of Constitution of the New York Stock & Exchange Board, and early reports from the founding and early days of the NYSE. Other related information is also available.

Additional Reading

• Constitution and rules. New York Stock Exchange. Chicago, Ill. : Commerce Clearing House
  LC Call Number: HG4571 .N56
  LC Catalog Record: 95647587
• Directory. New York. Stock Exchange. [New York, n. d.]
  LC Call Number: HG4571 .N5
  LC Catalog Record: 18018647

  Covers years 1919, 1921, 1934, 1964-68, 1972-73, 1995-96 and includes individual member names (with admitted date and firm name/address) but firm names as well.

• Fact book. New York Stock Exchange. [New York, N.Y.] : The New York Stock Exchange. Annual. Ceased in 2001.
  Continued online as NYSE Facts and Figures
  LC Call Number: HG4571 .N56
  LC Catalog Record: 85641633
• History of the New York stock exchange, the New York stock exchange directory, the produce, consolidated stock and petroleum, and cotton exchanges. And the New York and London clearing house systems. New York, The Financier company. [c1887]
  LC Call Number: HG4572.H52
  LC Catalog Record: 16005774

  A general history with early officers and stock information for the active shares and members (with firm and admitted date), list of firms in 1885-1886. Also includes a history of Consolidated Stock and Petroleum Exchange of New York and some information from the New York Produce Exchange and the New York Clearing House Association.

• The New York Stock Exchange, a reprint from the 1886 edition published by the Historical Publishing Company, New York. Arno Press : New York, 1975. 224 p.
  LC Call Number: HC4572.N456 1975
  LC Catalog Record: 75002620
• The New York Stock Exchange: Another Century. James E. Buck ed. Lyme, CT: Greenwich Pub: 1999.
  LC Call Number: HG4572.N453
  LC Catalog Record: 98049162
• Report of the president. New York Stock Exchange. [New York] : The Exchange. Continued by the New York Stock Exchange. Annual financial report.
  LC Call Number: HG4571 .N45
  LC Catalog Record: 32005491
• Crane, Burton. "The Stock Exchange's 150 Years Cover Nation's Financial Record," New York Times, May 17, 1942.
• Robert Sobel. N.Y.S.E. : a history of the New York Stock Exchange, 1935-1975 New York : Weybright and Talley, [1975]
  LC Call Number: HG4572.S673
  LC Catalog Record: 75008876
• Stedman, Edmund C. The New York stock exchange; it’s history, it’s contribution to national prosperity, and it’s relation to American finance at the outset of the twentieth century. New York, Stock exchange historical company, 1905.
  LC Call Number: HG4572 .S8
  LC Catalog Record: 05037562

  Includes an appendix with a history of officers, members, and statistics.

• Year book. [New York] Dept. of public relations [etc.] [n.d.]
  LC Call Number: HG4571 .N55
  LC Catalog Record: 05037562

  Includes annual death (with length of service), membership transfer information and other information on happenings of that year.

Catalog Searches

Additional works on this topic in the Library of Congress may be identified by searching the Online Catalog under appropriate Library of Congress subject headings. Choose the topics you wish to search from the following list to link directly to the Catalog and automatically execute a search for the subject selected. Please be aware that during periods of heavy use you may encounter delays in accessing the catalog. For assistance in locating other subject headings which may relate to this subject, please consult a reference librarian.

New York Stock Exchange

New York Stock Exchange--History

Wall Street (New York, N.Y.)--History