York Town Square

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York’s Penn Street Farmers Market,150 years old, seeks to replant for new customers

Mindi’s Place at Market & Penn Street Farmers Market is the primary eatery in York, Pa.’s, west end markethouse. The market is the oldest of five covered markethouses that operated in York. Background posts: There were 5, count ’em, 5 York markets and The ornate, but now-demolished York City Market House in living color and Don’t know much about York County history? Part III

Shortly after the end of the Civil War, leaders in the Bottstown section of York sought to solve a problem.

They had a growing population and no market to service those folks plus farmers in that end of York, west of the Codorus Creek.

So they created what is today called the Market and Penn Street Farmers Market.

And today, the market is again trying to solve a problem… .


Its backers have turned to technology via a Web site and use of The Exchange, the York Daily Record/Sunday News’ community electronic bulletin board, to promote the market’s revival.
Among other things, they’re promoting fresh food available there.
The cyclical nature of problem-solving surrounding York’s west end market provided the frame for the beginning and ending of my York Sunday News column on the market, a good example of a neighborhood looking to take back its neighborhood.

A sampling of other York market posts:
York County farm vs. factory tension relieved in overnight raid .
Going to market a longtime York County pastime.
York’s Central Market sells steak … and sizzle.
The forgotten fifth York market house.
York Market House No. 1 – Penn Street Farmers Market.
York Market House No. 2 – The architecturally striking City Market.
York Market House No. 3 – The first Eastern Market.
Market House No. 4 – Central Market, York’s most popular.
York Market House No. 5 – Carlisle Avenue Market, revisited.