Market House | |
Location | Market Sq., Fayetteville, North Carolina |
---|---|
Coordinates | 35°3′9.2″N 78°52′41.9″W / 35.052556°N 78.878306°W |
Area | less than one acre |
Built | 1838 |
NRHP reference No. | 70000451 |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | September 15, 1970[1] |
Designated NHL | November 7, 1973[2] |
The Market House is a Market house and town hall in the center of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina. It was built in 1838 on the site of the old state house and Town Hall which burned down in 1831.[3] Fayetteville was the capital of North Carolina from 1789 to 1794.
It has an arcaded open ground level, and a meeting hall above in a standard market house format which originated in the British Isles and is also common in New England. It served both as a town hall and general market until the early 20th century, and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973.[2][4] The upper floor now houses a museum.
A study completed by Duke University professor John Cavanagh noted that "sales [near this location] were spaced on the average about two months apart, if that frequently, and in most instances very few slaves were involved in each transaction".[5]
Because of its history as a general trading and market place, it is assumed that slaves were also traded there. It was also widely used as a market for goods and livestock which sometimes included human chattel. On May 30, 2020, protestors attempted to set the building on fire with the fire quickly quenched resulting in only minor damage.[6][7]