French Market-Old Vegetable Market
National Register of Historic Places

French Market-Old Vegetable Market

New Orleans, Orleans County, Louisiana
Listed
March 28, 1972
Type
Building
Period
Pre Contact
Ref No.
72000558

About this property

The French Market (French: Marché français) is a market and series of commercial buildings spanning six blocks in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as a Native American trading post predating European colonization, the market is the oldest of its kind in the United States. It began where Café du Monde currently stands and has been rebuilt and renovated a number of times. The market is included on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. Individual vendors purveyed many different fresh foods, including raw seafood, through the mid-20th century. The cafés and bars offer New Orleans crawfish and other seafood, Cajun food, Creole cooking, desserts, fruits, vegetables, and more. The French Market is also known for hosting some annual events including the French Quarter Festival and the French Market Creole Tomato Festival. The flea market is especially busy on weekends. Free musical events are often given in the French Market. The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park office and visitor center is in the French Market. Part of the space has been dedicated as a market since 1791 in the colonial period, but the oldest extant structures date to about 1813. Major renovations were done by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. Rebuilding and renovations have continued into the 21st century. Much of the area formerly housing arcades of roofed but wall-less merchant stands now houses shops and restaurants separated by doors and walls, catering to the tourism industry. The original market, called "the Meat Shops" or "Meat Market," was the only place within the French Quarter that could sell meat. Only after meat was being sold elsewhere did the name change to the "French Market." The French Market stretches just inland from the Mississippi River in the section of the French Quarter downriver from Jackson Square, from the Café du Monde at the upriver end, to the flea market stalls across from the New Orleans Mint building.

Location

1000 Decatur St.
New Orleans, Orleans County, Louisiana
29.95939, -90.06029

Categories

COMMERCEHISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about French Market-Old Vegetable Market

This page lists French Market-Old Vegetable Market. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your French Market-Old Vegetable Market report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Old Ursuline Convent
Colonial
0.1 mi
LeCarpentier-Beauregard-Keyes House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Pontalba Buildings
Civil War
0.2 mi
Madame John's Legacy
Colonial
0.2 mi
Gallier House
Early Republic
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Liberty Place Sep 14 1874
1874Frontier
0.7 mi
New Orleans Massacre
1866Indian Wars
0.8 mi
New Orleans Race Riot (1866)
1866Frontier
0.9 mi
Battle of New Orleans — Main Assault Jan 8 1815
1815Early Republic
0.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was French Market-Old Vegetable Market listed on the National Register?

French Market-Old Vegetable Market was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1972.

What type of historic resource is French Market-Old Vegetable Market?

French Market-Old Vegetable Market is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for French Market-Old Vegetable Market?

The period of significance for French Market-Old Vegetable Market is recorded as the pre_contact era.

Can I research the history near French Market-Old Vegetable Market?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near French Market-Old Vegetable Market will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Orleans County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Orleans County.

Explore OrleansCounty ›

More historic places in Louisiana

Browse all historic places in Louisiana.

View Louisianahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Louisiana history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Louisianahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near French Market-Old Vegetable Market will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report