The site that holds the current Stock Exchange, started as a place to trade stocks outside on the streets back in 1792. The present day building was built in the very early 1900's. The present day building looks like Federal Hall across the street, which I talked about earlier in Turnstile NYC Thursday IX. There are many themes of Greek architecture on the building, from the large columns in the front, and statues on the top of the building.
This building is very cool to me, because I got to go on the trading floor when I was younger. A family friend of ours used to work at the Stock Exchange, so I got all dressed up in a suit and was on the floor. It was incredible to see. We then took some paper and ripped it up, and that is what people used to do. After they were done with the paper, they would rip it up and throw it on the floor.
Also something else that goes along with the Stock Exchange, is the ringing of the opening and closing bells. Usually they have a celebrity, or a special person, like a firefighter or police officer, press a button to ring the bell at 9:30 A.M. to open the NYSE, and then again at 4:00 P.M. to close the NYSE. There have been former presidents, 9/11 first responders, former and present mayors of the city, and sports figures.
This building is one of the most famous buildings in the city, and possibly even the country and the world. You defiantly have seen it before, and I highly recommend going to see it if you ever get the change when you are in the city.
I hope that this was a nice post to read, and that you all enjoyed it!
Have you ever seen the Stock Exchange before? Did you know how old of a building it was? Would you want to go inside of it like I did?
DGS
Quotes of the Day: "If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants." - Sir Issac Newton
"Let us be grateful to the mirror, for revealing to us our appearance only." - Samuel Butler
"Love is the poetry of the senses." - Honore de Balzac