North Market

The North Market is an indoor market located in Columbus, Ohio, United States.

History

Ohio’s capital city, like many others in 19th century America, built a series of public markets to facilitate agricultural and industrial as well as retail trade around the middle of the 19th century. The city’s Central Market was built between 1849 and 1850 at Town and Fourth Streets to serve as a municipal building as well as an economic market. It was soon joined by a West Market, on South Gift Street, and an East market, at the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Miami Avenues. The North Market, constructed on Spruce and High Street on the city’s north side, was constructed in 1876. Historically, city ordinances and a city-employed Market Master established and enforced rules governing fees, location of stands, and other standards. By the mid-20th century, changing demographics and shopping preferences, coupled with a series of fires left Columbus with only one public market, the North Market, which after a 1947 fire was housed in a Quonset hut erected by the Merchant’s Association.