The Washington times., 1902-09-01
CENTER MARKET TIE
MECCA FOR THOUSANDS
Spot From Which Washing
ton Draws Food Supplies.
ONE OF cITY's LANDMARKS
Site Laid Down by George Washington
and Major L'EEfant-Was Much FIRE.
quented by Presidents in the Early
Days of the Capital.

If one should he called upon to name
the most frequented place in Washing
ton it would not be the Capitol, nor the
White House, nor one of the theaters.
but Center Market From that spot the
people of Washington have drawn their
chief supplies of food almost from the
beginning Of the city.
Before the present market house was
built the same site was covered by d
much older series of sheds and build
ings. which we may now cali the old
Center Market These rude structures
covered nearly the whole of the square
where the market is nov. On the rear
was the Georgetown and Washington
Canal. whose murky waters WASHED
against the south wall of the market,
and in time of heavy rain flooded the
floor. sometimes several feet deep.
A steamboat used to ply between the
whar; at Center Market and Alexan
dria. The route out Of the city was
along what is now b Street north 20
Seventeenth Street west, and thence
south into the Potomac through the
lower end of the White lot
Fire Engine Near.
In close proximity to the market was
the Perseverance, Fire Engine Company
and the old Watch House, or police
headquarters of the city. Center Mar
ket was from 1925 TO 1850 the very CEN
ter of things Washingtonian.
The site of the Center Market was
laid down by George Washington ami
his gifted engineer, Major L'Enfant, in
the original plat of the city. The first
building was authorized by Congress in
low. rambling frame shed. with outside
benches, and from this beginning the
market grew by series of attached
sheds until the market and its additions
covered the whole two acres and more
devoted to the purpose. Eighth Street
al that tine was narrow street run
ring between the two rows of sheds on
tithe- side.
In the early days the stock of pro-
visions sold in the Center Market were
The product of the farms and gardens
within the present District of Columbia.
The ground upon which st. Dominic's
Church now stands and the neighboring
Motley Young, who enjoyed for many
years the reputation of growing the
finest vegetables offered in the market
Onions especially fiourished in Youngs
gardens. and the product was as far
famed as was that of Westersfield. Conn,
about the same time in the market of
New York.
A large part of the territory lying out
side of Street northwest was at that
time in vegetables. and the Washington
market was stocked possibly better than
ii is now. with its requisitions upon half
the continent of North America for its
supplies.
Butter and eggs came from the same
source, and the old families of the Dis
trict were not above turning an homes
penny by sending the products of the
garden or the nenhouse To market.
Presidents Went to Market.
1t is matter Of tradition that all the
early Presidents went every morning TO
market jefferson did so, we are told, |
and it was on a trip to Center Market
on rainy morning that President Har-
rison aggravated the cold he had taken
On Inauguration day and which led to
his death.
Everybody walked in these days. and
each morning at the Center Market met |
the highest officials of the Government
and the lowliest residents of tie city on |
their errand after supplies of food
Down to 1921 it was the custom to |
open the market on Sunday morning for |
a short time to give househoders a |
chance to buy fresh provisions for the |
Sunday dinner.
Saturday nights were gay in the vicin- |
ity of the market. Not only did crowds |
Of housekeepers come for their sup |
niles hut IL was the custom for the |