On what date did the Dow return to its pre-1929-crash peak close?

The Dow returned to its pre-1929-crash peak close on November 23, 1954.

The relevant earlier peak was the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s September 3, 1929, close of 381.17. After the market’s collapse, the index continued falling for years, reaching 41.22 on July 8, 1932—about 89 percent below its 1929 high. A lengthy recovery followed, interrupted by further economic and market weakness during the 1930s and the disruption of World War II.

On November 23, 1954, the Dow closed at 382.74, finally surpassing the 1929 peak close. That was more than 25 years after the pre-crash high. The date is a closing-price milestone, not the moment every stock or the entire U.S. economy had recovered; individual companies and broader measures could follow different timelines.

Another common confusion is July 8, 1932, which was the bear market’s low, not the recovery date. April 17, 1930, and March 15, 1933, mark periods in the market’s continuing decline or early rebound, not the return to the old closing high.