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Philip Spiess
This one's for Mr. Lounds:
Some History of Cincinnati's Markets and Market Houses:
Pearl Street Market (a.k.a. "Pearl Street Growers Market"; a.k.a."Lower Market"): Established in 1804 between Broadway and Sycamore Streets, the wooden "Lower Market" (presumably the Fifth Street Market was the "Upper Market") was established early on near the Ohio River, because the Cincinnati hills made hauling loaded wagons uphill difficult for horses (at least until the inclines were built, and the mud streets were paved). The Pearl Street Market acquired a new stone "Flemish-style" market house in 1897, but the last remnants of it were demolished to make room for Riverfront Stadium in 1970 (its bell now hangs in Findlay Market).
Fifth Street Market: Established in 1829 between Vine and Walnut Streets (the property was acquired in 1827 through the deeding of several parcels of land). During the Civil War, the wooden market house was used by Cincinnati women to cook for and feed between 7,000 and 10,000 civilian militiamen during the so-called "Siege of Cincinnati" (the Union commander of the "Siege" was General Lew Wallace, later the author of the novel Ben-Hur). As I've mentioned before, this butchers' market was a notorious abattoir and was demolished in 43 minutes by the police and city street cleaners in 1870 on the direction of a secret City Council vote in order to create Fountain Square and install the Tyler Davidson Fountain; it totally surprised the 54 meat dealers cleaning up from the day's sales. Because the western portion of the land was given for a market in perpetuity (or the city must give up the space), a charming cast-iron flower stand, designed by Cincinnati architect James W. McLaughlin (his sister was a designer for Rookwood Pottery), stands on Fountain Square and is used annually to sell a flower to the Mayor in order to maintain the myth of a "market."
Canal Market: A wooden structure, established in 1829, and located on Court Street between Vine and Walnut Streets. The Miami & Erie Canal was located one block north, hence the name; the canal provided a transportation route for much of the produce and livestock coming into the market. It doubled as an open livestock exchange, with tunnels underneath the market house for the running of hogs to slaughter. (Remember, this was the beginning of the era of Cincinnati as "Porkopolis"; the later slaughter houses were located along Deer Creek Commons, which often ran red with blood; it was adjacent to what is now lower Gilbert Avenue). The market was demolished in 1864 to make way for the Court Street Market.
Findlay Market: Established in 1852 on Elder Street between Elm and Race Streets, Findlay Market is Ohio's oldest public market in continuous operation. James Findlay came to Cincinnati in 1793, opening a small store. He opened larger stores, established a public library, became governor of Ohio and a general, and served in the U. S. Congress. He bought property north of Liberty Street known as "Findlay's Woods." He hoped to establish a market, but he died, so the executors of his estate donated "Findlay's Woods" to the city with the stipulation that the land be used for a market. In 1852 the present market house was built of cast and wrought iron; originally being an open shed without sides, it was enclosed in the early 1900s and refrigeration introduced. The market house has been renovated three times, once when the bell tower was added when the market was enclosed (the bell from the Pearl Street Market now hangs in the tower), once in 1974 and once in 2000-2004. Since 1919 the Findlay Market Association has hosted the baseball season's opening day parade. Findlay Market House bisects Elder Street, it being in the middle of the street, and so recently the southern portion of Elder Street was redesignated "Essen Strasse" ("Food Street") because of the number of new restaurants and bars that can be found there. Findlay Market House remains the only Cincinnati market house still standing and operating; it is a focal point of the rejuvenated "Over-the-Rhine" district, so named because of the number of German immigrants who once lived there, across the Miami & Erie Canal (no longer there) from downtown.
Court Street Market: Establshed in 1864, replacing Canal Street Market. The wooden market house was condemned and razed in 1915 because its roof leaked, and because it was felt to be an eyesore that would detract from the newly planned Hamilton County Courthouse (i.e., the present one). However, the outdoor Court Street produce market continued to operate at the same location. The present open-air Court Street Market still continues to provide Cincinnatians with fresh produce from outlying farms.
Jabez Elliot Flower Market (a.k.a. "Sixth Street Market"): Cincinnatian Mary E. Holroyd gave money to construct a flower market to memorialize her first husband, Jabez Elliot, believing that floriculture elevated the human race. Located on Sixth Street between Elm and Plum Streets, flower vendors at the market were subjected to weather conditions in the 1880s, so the primarily wooden market was enclosed in 1890. Considered the largest enclosed flower market in the country, it helped Cincinnati gain the title of "Floral City." [I may write up Cincinnati's market garden and floral garden, as well as arboreal, heritage in a later post.] Business at the market declined as suburban florists (such as Durban's Greenhouses in Clifton, "Wooden Shoe Hollow" in Winton Place, the Delhi greenhouses, and Adrian's in Avondale, later in Clifton) developed their own businesses and automobile parking at the market became problematic, and the Jabez Elliot Flower Market was demolished in 1950.
Sixth Street Market (a.k.a. "Western Market"): Established in 1895, and built out of stone in a Dutch style; located on Sixth Street between Plum Street and Western Row. This was Cincinnati's largest market, with 64 indoor stalls, and it also housed the offices of the city's Superintendent of Markets, Weights, and Measures, who was responsible for managing Cincinnati's public markets, their standards, and their hygiene. Much of this market was devoted to meat and other butchers' products, and it was popular among the African-American population, many of whom lived in its general neighborhood. Many children worked at this market with their families, and there are documented early examples of abusive child labor practices (specifically long working hours) at this market in the days before that was regulated. The market house was demolished in 1959, initially for a parking lot, but that soon was replaced by an access ramp onto what became Interstate 75.
Parkway Farmers' Wholesale Market: This market moved from Court Street to Twelfth Street and Central Parkway in 1926 (on the old City Hospital lot behind Cincinnati Music Hall); it was open Monday through Saturday. But in 1951 the city needed space for more parking (particularly for Music Hall), and the market was relocated to the riverfront. It was then moved again to make way for Riverfront Stadium, and in 1967 the market was relocated to Kellogg Avenue near Lunken Airport.
Kellogg Avenue Farmers' Market: One such existed in the 1950s; later (1967) it apparently merged with the entry above [?].
Wade Street Market: I have no information on this market (never even heard of it), but it was apparently constructed with wood from the demolished First Presbyterian Church on Fourth Street.
[N.B.: Norwood Market House: That "other city," Norwood, had its rather grand market house built circa 1905; it still stands at the corner of Mills and Walter Avenues, Norwood.]
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