17th Street Farmers Market - Richmond VA
Posted by: 
nomadwillie
N 37° 32.021 W 077° 25.709
18S E 285426 N 4156850
A public gathering place since 1737, the market has gone thru many changes and is making a come back sine the 1980's
Waymark Code: WMGBFX
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 02/10/2013
Views: 1
The site of the 17th Street Farmers' Market has been a public gathering place since 1737, and is one of America's oldest public markets. The Farmers' Market has always been at the intersection of local commerce for two reasons -- the proximity to the river and the fact that Main Street served as the main road between Richmond and Williamsburg and nearby Shockoe Creek was used by small boats bringing shellfish to awaiting customers. When the Virginia General Assembly officially moved to Richmond in 1779, a "public market" was established. Once a thriving hub of commerce and trading, the Farmers' Market has seen many incarnations.
By 1854, The Farmers' Market had expanded and a larger market building was built on the corner of Main and 17th Streets. During the Civil War, the First Market House, as it was originally called, served as a gathering place for Confederate soldiers and later as a barracks for Union Troops. In later decades, shoppers listened to political speeches, visited the police station on the second floor, and raised their own voices at religious revival meetings.
The Farmers' Market continued to prosper and undergo renovations until the mid 1900's. It was during this time that the Shockoe Bottom area began to decline. The era of "bigger is better" came, and supermarkets were the modern answer to our grocery needs and family farmers were seduced by the regular paychecks offered by factories. The First Market House was razed in 1961 and the Farmers' Market was reduced to scattered vendor stalls, but the predicted total demise never happened.
Today the 17th Street Farmers' Market has begun its renaissance. The open-air structure that is there today was built in the mid 1980's and is currently home to a variety of new offerings for the Richmond community. More importantly, consumers, neighbors and farmers are rediscovering each other.
For that special Farmers' Market blend of coffee or tea, the crusty breads, the homemade goat cheeses, the aromatic and culinary herbs or the colorful displays of fresh local fruits and vegetables, the Farmers' Market is the place to be. And don't be surprised if there is conversation or music in the air to sweeten the day!
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