Wall Street U.S. Sub Treasury & Washington Square Park Mounted Albumen NYC Photo

Title:
Double-Sided Early 20th-Century Albumen Photograph Featuring the U.S. Sub-Treasury on Wall Street and Judson Memorial Church, New York

Description:
This compelling double-sided albumen photograph offers a pair of early 20th-century New York cityscapes, each mounted on opposite sides of a cream-toned card. One side presents a sharp view of the U.S. Sub-Treasury Building (now Federal Hall National Memorial) on Wall Street, while the reverse captures a quieter moment in Washington Square Park, centered on Judson Memorial Church.

Each image is a circular albumen print, with handwritten captions identifying the scenes:

• Front: “U.S. SubTreasury, Wall St. N.Y.”

• Back: “Judsons Church, Washington Sq. N.Y.”

The photographs are richly toned in sepia, showing urban street life with figures in early 20th-century dress. The Sub-Treasury image includes businessmen and pedestrians walking near the towering Corinthian columns of the historic building. The Washington Square view shows a more leisurely park setting, with men in bowler hats and trees framing the prominent church tower.

Historical Context:
The U.S. Sub-Treasury Building, located at the heart of Wall Street, was built on the site of George Washington’s inauguration and functioned as a vital financial institution until 1920. By the early 1900s, Wall Street was already synonymous with American finance, and images like this reflect its growing significance as a national economic center.

Judson Memorial Church, completed in 1892, sits at the south end of Washington Square Park and was known not only for its Romanesque architecture but also its progressive role in social reform and the arts throughout the 20th century. The park itself, seen bustling with pedestrians, reflects the community-oriented atmosphere of Greenwich Village during this transitional era.

Closing Appeal:
This double-sided albumen photograph captures two very different yet equally iconic slices of New York City—its financial heartbeat and its cultural soul—at the turn of the century. With strong architectural composition and authentic period street scenes, it offers historical and visual richness for collectors of early photography, New York history, or Americana ephemera.