The Dow Jones Industrial Average recovered its 1929 peak in 1954, about 25 years after the Wall Street Crash.
The Dow reached its pre-crash high in September 1929. It then fell through a series of panics, reaching its low in July 1932. The index did not regain the level of its 1929 peak until November 1954.
This recovery date is often misunderstood as the time needed for the whole economy to return to normal. Stock indexes, employment, production, prices, and household wealth followed different paths, and the Great Depression had already ended before the Dow reclaimed its old high.
The long interval also reflects the severity of the crash and the economic disruptions of the 1930s and World War II. Dividend payments are not included in the simple index-level comparison.