SEATTLE — Seattle’s iconic farmers market is celebrating its 116th birthday on Thursday.
On Aug. 17, 1907, a small gathering of farmers showed up to sell their goods along a bluff overlooking Puget Sound. They sold out by lunch and the wheels were in motion for immediate growth.
The wheels were wagon wheels in those days and by the end of the first week, 60 farmers showed up with their wagons and Pike Place Market quickly became an important resource and ultimately a tourist attraction. Today more than 10 million people visit Pike Place every year.
The market's colorful history wasn’t without turmoil.
In the 1970s the market was nearly demolished for urban renewal but the citizens of Seattle rallied and voted to save it on Nov. 2, 1971. Marketing Manager Madison Bristol said staff decided to publish a newspaper to celebrate the over 100 years of history.
“It celebrates the origin of the market, the start of the preservation and development authority and really just some amazing facts about this historic place,” Bristol said.
The market has grown to boast more than 500 farmers and small businesses with social services and hundreds of residents.
Visitors can get a genuine taste of the market's history at one of the longest-running vendors. Three Girls Bakery opened in 1912 and was the first business licensed to women in Seattle. Three Girls still operates in “stall number 1” and isn’t far from City Fish, a market original since 1917.
To celebrate 116 years the market is doing giveaways.
“It’s our party and we can gift if we want to!” says Bristol. Sixteen days of market giveaways are underway. Followers of Pike Place Market's social media platform can enter to win daily surprises through Sept. 1.
To learn more about the History of Pike Place Market and its many contributions to our region's culture you can download a copy of the commemorative Pike Place Market Newspaper.