天津開埠后，英、法兩國(guó)在天津設(shè)立租界，并先后在租界內(nèi)修路建房。他們特別選擇，在東側(cè)的河壩道(今張自忠路和臺(tái)兒莊路)與西側(cè)的海大道(今大沽路)之間，從西北端的老龍頭橋開始，向東南至狄更生道(今徐州道),拓建一條主要交通干線，全長(zhǎng)2229米，路面均寬17米；貫穿英、法兩個(gè)租界，以圣魯易路(今營(yíng)口道)口為界，北段法租界，時(shí)稱大法國(guó)路，又稱法租界中街，1941年以前亦稱七號(hào)路； 南段英租界，時(shí)稱維多利亞道，又稱英租界中街。英、法兩國(guó)領(lǐng)事館和工部局，都設(shè)在這條干線上。中街成為當(dāng)時(shí)英、法租界的中心地帶，是兩國(guó)租界的政治、經(jīng)濟(jì)中心。

·舊時(shí)的解放北路金融街

最早在中街建立機(jī)構(gòu)的，是英國(guó)怡和洋行(1867);隨后，英國(guó)匯豐銀行，于光緒六年(1880)在中街建立分行，轉(zhuǎn)年開業(yè)(新大樓為今解放路84號(hào)，今中國(guó)銀行天津市分行址) ,成為天津的第一家外國(guó)銀行； 英國(guó)太古洋行，于光緒七年(1881),在河壩道置地建造倉(cāng)庫(kù)和專用碼頭，在中街建起太古洋行大樓(今解放北路165號(hào))。在中街設(shè)立分行的還有： 德國(guó)的德華銀行，于光緒十五年(1889),后改為解放路副食商店址； 英國(guó)的麥加利銀行，于光緒二十一年(1895),今天津市郵政儲(chǔ)匯局等址； 俄國(guó)的華俄道勝銀行，于光緒二十二年(1896,一說1897),今為證券所； 法國(guó)東方會(huì)理銀行，于光緒二十四年(1898),初租今天津市總工會(huì)址，后在今解放北路77號(hào)原天津市藝術(shù)博物館址建樓； 日本的橫濱正金銀行，于光緒二十五年(1899),今解放北路80號(hào)中國(guó)銀行天津市分行址。
19世紀(jì)末至20世紀(jì)初，在中街設(shè)立的外國(guó)銀行共達(dá)20多家。除了匯豐、麥加利、德華、華俄道勝、東方會(huì)理、橫濱正金銀行以外； 還有：美國(guó)運(yùn)通銀行(清末)、比利時(shí)華比銀行(1906年，今中國(guó)建設(shè)銀行天津市分行址)、法國(guó)儲(chǔ)蓄會(huì)(1912年)、日本正隆銀行(1915年)、美國(guó)花旗銀行(1916年，今中國(guó)農(nóng)業(yè)銀行址)、日本朝鮮銀行(1918年)、日本天津銀行(1920年)、美國(guó)美豐銀行(1923年)、美國(guó)大通銀行(1929年)、美國(guó)合通銀行(1923年11月)、美國(guó)敦華銀行(1935年6月);合資銀行有： 法比合辦儀品放款銀行(1906年，今天津市化工輕工材料公司址)、中意合辦華義銀行(1920年5月6日，今天津市電子儀表局所屬單位址)、中法合辦中法工商銀行(1923年，今天津市總工會(huì)址)等等。
八國(guó)聯(lián)軍入侵，壬子兵變，使城廂地區(qū)錢業(yè)倒閉十之八九，當(dāng)鋪多被搶劫焚毀，票號(hào)漸趨沒落； 特別是1931年 “九一八” 事變后，華商銀行、保險(xiǎn)業(yè)也轉(zhuǎn)向租界發(fā)展，以求安全。比較有實(shí)力的華商銀行，也想在中街開設(shè)；但是，英、法租界當(dāng)局，卻以其為僑民預(yù)留做借口，禁止華商在中街購(gòu)地建樓，迫使華商銀行只能在中街附近另覓行址。法租界四號(hào)路(今濱江道)、法租界六號(hào)路(今哈爾濱道)、法租界八號(hào)路(今赤峰道),成為首選之地； 20世紀(jì)30年代，楊福蔭路(今大沽路與興安路之間大體南北走向的斜短路),也全部由銀號(hào)租用，成為“錢莊街” 。
例如： 法租界四號(hào)路的交通銀行、殖業(yè)銀行(1911年) ; 法租界六號(hào)路的大陸銀行(1919年，今哈爾濱道68～70號(hào)，交通銀行址)、大生銀行(1919年3月8日)、中國(guó)墾業(yè)銀行(1926年，今哈爾濱道34號(hào)); 法租界八號(hào)路的中國(guó)銀行、中孚銀行(1916年11月7日)、上海商業(yè)儲(chǔ)蓄銀行(1920年10月，初在宮北大街獅子胡同，1922年遷東馬路，1926年遷法租界八號(hào)路100號(hào))、鹽業(yè)銀行(1928年8月，今中國(guó)工商銀行天津市分行營(yíng)運(yùn)部址) 、裕津銀行(1921年6月，今赤峰道32號(hào)); 還有法租界十四號(hào)路的中國(guó)農(nóng)工銀行(1927年，今承德道24號(hào)),英租界領(lǐng)事道(今大同道)的中國(guó)實(shí)業(yè)銀行等。
當(dāng)然，英、法租界當(dāng)局，完全禁止是不可能的，有的華商銀行還是開辦在了中街。例如： 金城銀行(1917年5月，今天津市農(nóng)村工作委員會(huì)址) ,中南銀行(1922年7月5日，初址中街10號(hào)，1923年遷今解放北路88號(hào)中國(guó)建設(shè)銀行和平支行址),中央銀行天津分行(1931年，今解放北路179號(hào)中國(guó)人民銀行天津市分行址),國(guó)華銀行(1934年8月15日，法租界中街74號(hào))等等。
20世紀(jì)二三十年代，中街及附近地區(qū)，華商銀行也發(fā)展成為天津金融界一支重要力量，尤其是著名的 “北四行”(鹽業(yè)、金城、大陸3家總行及中南銀行分行),在國(guó)內(nèi)有重要影響。組成了包括國(guó)家銀行、地方銀行、官商合辦銀行、商辦銀行、外商銀行，以及銀號(hào)等齊全的天津銀行業(yè)，被稱為“銀行街” ,并有“天津華爾街”之稱；由于大樓林立，風(fēng)格迥異，號(hào)稱“萬國(guó)建筑博覽會(huì)” 。1932年末，天津的22家銀行存款余額為25578.8萬元，占全國(guó)122家銀行存款總額的18%; 1933年末，天津22家銀行存款余額為40451.5萬元，占全國(guó)123家銀行存款總額的15.4%。至1934年末，天津有華商銀行29家，銀號(hào)269家，典當(dāng)88家，外國(guó)銀行17家。其中，華商銀行、銀號(hào)資力36500萬元，外商銀行資力43612萬元(均按法幣計(jì)算)。
與此同時(shí)，外商保險(xiǎn)機(jī)構(gòu)新增100余家，華商保險(xiǎn)公司也發(fā)展到50余家。天津金融機(jī)構(gòu)無論是數(shù)量、資力，還是經(jīng)營(yíng)規(guī)模、業(yè)務(wù)輻射范圍，都僅次于上海，居全國(guó)各大城市第二位，成為名符其實(shí)的中國(guó)北方金融中心。
After Tianjin opened its port,UK and France set upconcessions and built roads and houses in Tianjin. Theyconstructed a main traffic line across the Britain andFrench concessions from Laolongtou Bridge (JiefangBridge) to Dickens Road (Xuzhou Road)between HebaRoad in the east and Hai Street(Dagu Road) in the west.The length of the Road was 2229 meters and its widthwas 17 meters. Divided by Saint Louise Road (YingkouStreet),the north part belonged to the French concession,which was called Great French Road,Middle Street ofFrench Concession or No.7 Road (before 1941). Thesouth part belonged to Britain Concession,which wascalled Victoria Road or the Middle Street of BritainConcession. The Consulates and Industrial Bureaus ofthe two concessions were located on the line. MiddleStreet was located at the center of French and Britainconcessions,which were the political and economiccenters of them.
The first business institution at Middle Streetwas Yihe Yanghang of UK in 1867. The HSBC of UKset up its branch in 1880 and commented business in1881 (the location of Tianjin Branch,Bank of China),which was the first foreign bank in Tianjin. BritainTaigu Yanghang was established in 1881,whichbuilt warehouses and ports along the river and TaiguBuilding at Middle Street (now the site of No. 165 ofJiefangbei Road). There were also Deutsche AsiatischeBank of Germany in 1859 (now the site of the FoodDepartment at Jiefang Road),Chartered Bank of IndiaAustralia & China of UK in 1895 (now the site ofTianjin General Post Office),The St. Petersburg Russo-Asiatic Bank of Russia in 1896 (now the site of TianjinBranch of the People`s Bank of China),BanquedeL`India-China of France in 1898 (firstly the site ofTianjin Labour Union,then Tianjin Museum of Arts atNo.77 Tianjinbei Road),and Yokohama Specie Bank,Ltd of Japan in 1899 (Tianjin Branch of Bank of Chinaat No.85 of Jiefangbei Road).

·法租界中街(銀錢街北段)

In the end of 19th and at the beginning of 20thcentury,there were 20 more banks set up at Middle Streetbesides the above. They were American Express Co,Inc.during Qing Dynasty,Banque Belge Pour L` Etrangerof Belgium in 1906 (now the site of Tianjin Branch ofChina Construction Bank),French Deposit Bankin 1912,Japanese Cheng Loong Bank in 1915,InternationalBanking Cooperation of America in 1916 (Now thesite of Agriculture Bank),Bank of Chosen of Japan in1918,Tianjin Bank of Japan in 1920,American OrientalBanking in 1929,Equitable Eastern Banking of Americain 1929,United Bank of America in November,1923,and Dunhua Bank of America in June,1935. The banksof JV were Credit Foncier d` Extreme Orient betweenFrance and Belgium in 1906 (now the site of TianjinChemical Materials Company),Italian Bank for Chinabetween Italy and China on May 6,1920 (now the site ofTianjin Electronic Meters Bureau`s units),and Industrialand Commercial Bank between China and France in1923 (now the site of Tianjin Labor Union).
After the Gengzi Indemnity event and Renzi event,many financial institutions were bankrupted. Pawnswere looted. Cash shops came down. Especially afterthe 9.18 Event,Chinese banks and insurance companiesbegan their operation in concessions for security. RichChinese Banks wished to set up at Middle Street. Britainand French concessions forbade them to buy land atMiddle Street in the pretext of saving lands for theirexpatriates. The Chinese Banks had to choose landsnear Middle Street. No. 4 Road (Binjiang Road),No.6Road (Ha`erbin Road) and No.8 Road (Chifeng Road)of French concession were best choices. In 1930s,allhouses of Yangyinfu Road were rented by banks. It wascalled "Cash Shop Road".
Such as: Jiaotong Bank and Zhiye Bank (in 1911) inNo.4 Road of French Concession; Dalu Bank (in 1919,No. 68-70 of Ha`erbin Road,now the site of JiaotongBank),Dasheng Bank (on March 8,1919),Kenye Bankof China (in 1926,now No. 34 of Ha`erbin Road) in No.6Road of French Concession; Bank of China,ZhongfuBank (on December 7,1916),Shanghai BusinessDepository Bank (in October,1920,first in Lion Lane ofGongbei Street,then Dongmalu in 1922,and finally No.100 of No. 8 Road) Salt Bank (in August,1928,now thesite of the operation section of Tianjin Branch of ISBC),Yujin Bank (in June,1921,now No. 32 of ChifengRoad) in No.8 Road of French Concession; Agricultureand Industry Bank of China (in 1927,now No. 24 ofChengde Road) in No. 14 Road of French Concession;and Industrial Bank of China in the Consulate Road ofBritish concession (now Datong Road).
It was impossible for French and Britainconcessions to prevent all Chinese banks from setting upin Middle Street. The successful banks were: JinchengBank (in May,1917,now the site of AgriculturalCommittee of Tianjin),Zhongnan Bank (on July 5,1922,first at No. 10 of Middle Street,then moved to No. 88,Jiefangbei Road in 1923,now the site of Heping Branch,Construction Bank of China),Tianjin Branch of CentralBank (in 1931,now No. 179 of Jiefangbei Road,the siteof Tianjin Branch of Bank of China) and Guohua Bank(on August 15,1934,No.74 of Middle Street,Frenchconcession).
In 1920s and 1930s,Chinese banks in Middle Streetand its nearby streets grew to be a power in Tianjinfinancing area,especially the famous Top 4 Banks inthe north (Salt Bank,Jincheng Bank,Dalu Bank andTianjin Branch of Zhongnan Bank). The street was called"Bank Street" or "the Wall Street in Tianjin" becauseit had national banks,banks between government andbusiness,business banks,foreign banks and cash shops,etc.As there are many high buildings in mediaeval,Gothic,Teutonic,Roman,Classic styles,which werecalled the "International Exposition". At the end of 1932,total deposit in 22 Tianjin banks was 25,578.8 hundredmillion,accounting for 18% of total deposit in 122 banksin China. At the end of 1933,total deposit in 22 Tianjinbanks was 40,451.5 hundred million,accounting for15.4% of total deposit in 123 banks in China. At the endof 1934,there were 29 Chinese banks,269 cash shops,88 pawns,17 foreign banks. The capital of Chinesebanks and cash shops was 0.365 billion; that of foreignbanks,0.43612 billion (unit: franc).
At the same time,there were over 100 foreigninsurance companies and 50 Chinese insurancecompanies. Next to Shanghai,Tianjin was the secondlargest financial city in China of quantity,capital,andbusiness volume and operation area. It became the realfinancial center in Northern China.

·行址設(shè)在原英租銀行街的金城銀行天津分行內(nèi)景