By: Amyriel
St. Mary’s Market is one space where African and Indigentous American women took agency over their lives during the 1800s in New Orleans.
Most of the booths at St. Mary’s Market were owned and operated by African and Native American women, and some by German and Irish immigrants. According to my resources there was much competition amongst these people and the same could be said for most of the newly industrialized America in the early 19th century.
St.Mary’s Market was originally constructed in 1822 on Diamond Street, today known as St. Joseph St, Additions to the space were added in 1830 and 1836. In the 1850s the city asked for the removal of St.Mary’s Market; The Market was not removed but temporarily relocated to Tchoupitoulas Street. In the 1890s the city had changed their minds and wanted to revamp the old location and so St.Mary’s Market was moved back to its original location where it still stands today. In the present it has been converted into a small inn just behind the WWII Museum in the Warehouse District.
St. Mary Market is not a well known location nor is its history and other markets and warehouses share a similar status but despite that they are still appreciated for their beauty.
