City Market

From 1857 to the present, town activities have revolved around the City Market, an integral site for commerce, political rallies, medicine shows, circuses, balloon ascensions, and other public entertainments. Its origin began earlier, when in the 1820's Gabriel Prudhomme, an early settler, purchased the underlying land from the federal government. After his death in 1838, it was sold at public auction to a Town Company and named The Town of Kansas. City government was established to manage it and placed at 4th and Main on a public square. For $50, Fred and Jacob Scheibel leased part of the square to operate a Public Market. City government remained there from 1857 to 1938, while the market continued. For the past 150 years, the market operation, surrounded by merchants, has offered local produce, products, and fine food as well as produce and products from around the world. It remains the hub of community activity, the largest farmer's market in the Midwest with 140 vendor stalls, and a destination for 590,000 annual visitors.

Kansas City, Missouri · United States