Exploring the History & Future of Charleston's Iconic City Market
A Trip to Charleston isn’t complete without exploring the historic Charleston City Market. Join me as we delve into the history, changes and future of one of Charleston’s most notable places.
Established in the 1790s in its current location, the Charleston City Market stretches four city blocks and covers 1,240 feet through a series of continuous open air sheds culminating in the Great Hall. The market runs east to west from Meeting Street to East Bay Street, and is flanked by North Market and South Market Streets. This complex has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has also been designated as a National Historic Landmark.
Initially referred to as the Centre Market, the City Market was built as a replacement for Charleston’s Beef Market building which sat on the site of Charleston’s City Hall at 100 Broad Street. In the early 1840s, Charleston architect Edward B. White designed Market Hall. Throughout the 19th century, the City Market served as a gathering place for farmers and plantations to sell beef and produce, as well as a place for locals to meet and socialize.
The City Market has faced its share of challenges, including earthquakes, fires, storms and flooding. On September 29, 1938, several tornadoes wreaked havoc on Charleston, resulting in 32 lives lost, 100 people injured, and $2 million in property damage. One of the tornadoes caused substantial damage to the City Market. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo destroyed much of the Lowcountry, including extensive damage to the market and surrounding areas. While we have been fortunate to not see such drastic damage in recent years, the market experiences regular flooding whenever a big rain storms hits, especially if it coincides with high tide. It is a way of life for the vendors of this beautiful Charleston landmark to pack up their items and wade through the water to higher ground.
A $5.5 Million makeover of the market begin in 2010, and on June 27, 2011, the refurbished market reopened to the public. The piece de resistance is the Great Hall. Unlike the three open air sheds, the Great Hall is an enclosed and air-conditioned portion of the market that houses 20 vendors. This section of the market is often a welcomed refuge for tourists who are overcome by the humidity and heat of the Lowcounty, especially in the warm weather months – which run from March to November-ish.
Today, the market houses 300 artisans, vendors, and craftspeople selling Charleston souvenirs and collectibles. It is open every day of the year, except for Christmas. The day market and night market offer a variety of vendors, so be sure to check out both. There is something for everyone, from Charleston rice bead jewelry to benne wafers to hand painted souvenirs to the Gullah sweet grass baskets. If you’re planning a visit, allow several hours to take in the sights, smells and sounds of this cultural center in our beautiful city.
All right y’all, that’s a wrap on the City Market. Make sure to let us know in the comments what your favorite part of the Charleston City Market is!
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