The Historic French Market
America's Oldest City Market
Beginning as a Native American trading post next to the Mississippi River, the French Market
has existed in the same location for over 220 years.  The historic public market is the oldest
in the United States.  From the Market's website:  "America's oldest and best loved public
market writes its own history every day.  With each new sunrise on Decatur Street, history
repeats itself - always the same, yet impossible to predict."
The photo directly above was taken in 1939.
The photo at the very top of the page is from 1910.
Above, ca. I900;  below, 1906.
This photo - of one end of the market - was taken at some time between 1880 - 1897.  
Notice the horse-drawn trolleys on the right.
Wagons line up on Decatur Street, waiting to unload their goods at the
market, which is just out of the picture, on the left; ca. 1898.
This 1864 photo of the French Market is one of my favorites because of the ships on the
Mississippi River in the background.  You can see the Pontalba Apartments to the left and
part of Jackson Square in the foreground.
Two nuns navigate Decatur Street after a visit to the market, ca. 1915.
Boys on a donkey cart, French Market, 1905.
Above & below, fruit/vegetable vendors, French Market;
above, 1939; below, 1941.
French Market, 1930's.
Above and below, French Market, 1930's.
Above and below, some postcards from the 1920's & '30's.
The French Market today.