Plate 10: High Street Market

View in 1800

View in 1960

View in 2000

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Engraving

From inside the "Jersey Market" shed, built between Front and Second Streets, Birch gives a vista extending to Fourth Street. The open arch and lower portion of the balcony of Town Hall can be seen beyond the shed (see Plate 15). A variety of wares, meats and produce from the outlying farms in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey were sold in the markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The last market shed was demolished about 1860.

Photographs

A group of buildings on the north side of Market Street west of Second (MG-R 1960) was cleared in 1963 to provide a view of Christ Church. Another group east of Second to Front Street was demolished about 1980 to make way for a ramp that receives traffic crossing over Interstate 95 from Columbus Boulevard (formerly Delaware Avenue) and from an extension of Chestnut Street. The arch over the ramp displaying "MARKET STREET" (MG-C 2000) serves as a gateway to one of the city's busiest east- west thoroughfares. By ordinance in 1990, the "Old City Residential Area" was created with "Special District Controls" designed to maintain a "unique balance of residences and compatible small- scale commercial and retail development." It lies between the south side of Wood Street on the north and the rear line of properties fronting on the north side of Market Street, and between the west side of the Delaware Expressway (Interstate 95) and the east side of Fifth Street. Numerous historic and other buildings in the "Old City" have been converted into quality housing. An example of newly constructed housing is seen in the (BG-R 2000).