April 29, 2021
Native Americans were the first to use the area as a trading post
Anyone visiting New Orleans has to stop by the French Market at least once. Photographed in 1906, this alluring take on the open-air markets of Europe has long been the place where people across the world come to peddle their wares and shop for offbeat local items while getting a bite to eat.
The French Market has been operating for more than three centuries, and this colorized photo of the area at the turn of the century makes the whole scene feel vibrant and alive. It's as if you're walking through the market, smelling food on the grill, and listening to the hustle and bustle of the city. Considered the oldest public market in the United States, the French Market in New Orleans has come a long way since its inception as a trading post for Louisiana's indigenous people.
Long before it was a must-see tourist attraction the French Market was just an open-air trading post where Native American people exchanged goods and services near what's now known as Jackson Square. It wasn't until 1782 that the Spanish constructed the first building at the intersection of Chartres and Dumaine that served as an early version of the market.
The earliest versions of the market were destroyed by the destructive winds of hurricane season. It wasn't until 1813 that the first longstanding building was put in place. Now known as the Meat Market, the longest surviving building in the French Market was designed by Jacques Tanesse and constructed by Gurlie and Guillot. After the construction of the Meat Market the area continued to thrive and grow as immigrants from Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean made their way to New Orleans and transformed the area into a vibrant hub of commerce.
The French Market continued to grow into the 19th century as City Surveyor Joseph Pilie constructed a building that was meant to be specifically used as the Vegetable Market. The initial version of the building was constructed by Jean Felix Pinson in 1822. Construction on the building continued until 1830. Three years later more buildings went up around the Vegetable Market that became known as the Red Stores.
As more buildings went up, the open air exchange continued to bloom and grow until the Bazaar Market building went up in 1872 to hold some of the immense business that was taking place in the square. Not just any old building, this piece of architecture was designed by Joseph Abeilard, one of the first African American architects in the country. It's fitting that this groundbreaking architectural achievement would occur in New Orleans. The city is one of the most racially diverse in the country, even in the 19th century.
