Panic came to Wall Street in October 1907. It certainly wouldn't be the last time.

This great (and sadly uncredited) image of the Panic of 1907 captures frenzied bankers collecting near Federal Hall on Wall Street as the entire financial system teetered precariously. The stock market lost half its value as the economy was plagued by liquidity issues, bank runs, the collapse of the Knickerbocker Trust Company (which attempted and failed to corner the copper market) and risky bucket shop operations. All seemed lost.

But the turmoil subsided when fat-pocketed plutocrat J.P. Morgan ponied up a large sum of his own dough to prop up the system and avert disaster. No one could save the day 22 years later, however, as even dicier schemes caused the stock market to collapse and the Great Depression to begin in earnest.