Before the American Revolution, Liberty Street was known as Crown Street, which consisted of the present Liberty Street as well as the present Maiden Lane between Liberty and Pearl Streets. Its name was changed to Liberty Street in 1793, with the part east of the junction being added to Maiden Lane.[2]
The western portion of the street was extensively damaged by the September 11 attacks. This section of the road, adjacent to the South Tower of the World Trade Center, was crushed by debris and blanketed with dust and smoke when the building collapsed at 9:59 a.m. The Deutsche Bank Building at 130 Liberty Street sustained heavy damage and was later demolished. Other buildings on Liberty Street were also ravaged by the events. The Burger King on the corner was used as a temporary NYPD headquarters in the days following the attacks. The World Trade Center site has since been redeveloped as the new World Trade Center.