In
October 1825 the Erie Canal opened, connecting the Midwest to New York City and
an international marketplace. Activity along the canal, as depicted in the
proof above, represented an enormous commercial opportunity and helped
establish New York as a major capital of trade.
In
that same month, Brown Brothers & Co. opened for business at 191 Pearl
Street. The story of their enterprise is told in Two Centuries of Banking: The
Enduring Partnership of Brown Brothers Harriman, open now through December 2.
John Hill. “Unidentified Town and Canal Locks,” after John William Hill. [1830-1832].
PR 217, John Hill Print Collection. New-York Historical Society.