The Dow Jones Industrial Average’s record closing high before the 1929 Wall Street Crash was 381.17. The index reached that level on September 3, 1929, after years of strong economic growth and rapidly rising share prices.
The peak came before the most famous phase of the crash, which intensified in October. Heavy selling on October 24, October 28, and October 29 damaged confidence, although the market’s decline continued for years rather than ending in a single day.
The 381.17 figure is a closing value, not the highest intraday level. That distinction matters because financial indexes can move substantially during a trading session and finish at a different level. The Dow eventually fell to 41.22 in July 1932.
The 1929 crash is often treated as the direct cause of the Great Depression, but historians generally describe it as one important event among several. Banking failures, falling demand, debt, and policy mistakes also contributed to the broader economic collapse.