77-79 Delancey Street, ca. 1970. The newly chartered Bank of the United States was founded in 1914 by Joseph S. Marcus. The private bank prospered for a number of years in part because people believed its "high-titled" name indicated that it was run by the government. Many complained, particularly immigrants, that it deceived depositors into thinking it was even the central bank founded by Alexander Hamilton. Following the crash of 1929, the bank was among the first to fail. With 400,000 depositors at the time of its collapse, the New York Times declared the bank’s defeat to be the largest in history up until that point. Shortly thereafter, the building housed the Hebrew Publishing Company, one of the most famous publishers of Yiddish literature in the world. In 1976, the company relocated to a smaller office just a few blocks south on Grand Street. The building has since been converted into an office and apartment complex.