Pike's Place Centennial by Julia Littlefield

We owe the Pike Place Market to onions. Yes, really, onions. A massive onion shortage in 1906 and 1907 caused the price of onions to skyrocket. Outraged citizens, tired of dealing with middlemen to procure their daily onions, demanded a solution. This is where Thomas Revelle stepped in. He proposed a public marketplace where farmers could sell their produce directly to consumers, cutting out middlemen and reducing prices significantly. On August 17th, 1907, eight farmers wheeled their carts onto First avenue and Pike street in front of the (now defunct) Leland Hotel, where they were mobbed by over 10,000 buyers looking for produce. The carts were picked clean and many people went home empty handed. Clearly, the idea was a hit. By November 1907, a permanent covered arcade had been built to shield buyers and sellers from the elements. In the next few years, the market was expanded to house flower peddlers, and a sanitary market was added across the street for the sale of meats. In 1930, the market’s iconic neon sign and clock were put in place.

Pike Place Market has been through ups and downs; the market boomed with plans for expansion and the evolution into a full-scale commercial marketplace, and lagged with the rest of the economy during the depression and in the 50’s when supermarkets became popular, before settling comfortably into the Pike Place of today. The market now occupies nine acres and is a registered US Historic District. It is home to the very first Starbucks (as if you didn’t know that already), and hundreds of other shops selling everything from fresh produce, meats, and cheeses, to wood crafts, clothing and comic books. And yes, they still sell plenty of onions.

The spirit of the ‘Meet The Producers’ market that Thomas Revelle inspired lives on today. Beecher’s Cheese makes their cheese right in the market, and just about every produce stand has the grower on premises. Tours of the market like the Savor Seattle Food Tour showcase vendors by introducing attendees to Pike Place, enabling them to speak to business owners and sample their products. Throughout 2007, Pike Place Market is celebrating its 100th year in business. Commemorative events have been going on all year, culminating in the Centennial Days Celebration that takes place from August 10th through August 17th. An event schedule is available here, as well as on the Pike Place Market website. The festivities offer a perfect opportunity for locals to reconnect with the market, and for visitors to get a taste of one of Seattle’s most historic landmarks.