The Old Market
See all Charleston Attractions
Staff Editor, Charleston Harbor Tours
October 10, 2007
The open air market in the old city of Charleston is famous for its wide variety of products and bustling atmosphere. Located on Market Street between Meeting and East Bay Streets, the market hosts hundreds of vendors that attract visitors who come to see their original crafts and learn the history of the area. In 1788, a wealthy Charleston family purchased the land where the marketplace stands and stipulated that it be used only for the public good.
Buildings were erected that became storage facilities for meats, fish, and vegetables. The buildings lining Market Street were constructed in the 1840s and were originally designed as housing for slaves that had come in to Charleston Harbor. At the end of the Civil War, the role of the area gradually morphed into a commercial zone.
Today the market is famous for its traditional sweet grass basket weaving.
Visitors can come watch basket weavers as they perform their elegant craft, or even purchase a sweet grass basket to take home!
