History
HISTORY
A Long History of Serving the Community...
Read about the long history of the Market:
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In 1858 ten acres in “Brook Park” were purchased by the newly formed Union County Agricultural Association. Those ten acres became the location for the Union County Fair and operated for over 70 years. A racetrack was added in 1907 and a grandstand in 1917. The fair was held four days in September each year until 1936.
In 1937 the bank sold the land to Richard Leitzel who planned to revive the county fair. He soon began to hold auctions there with the intent to raise moneys to renovate the buildings and again host the fair. More than 2,000 farmers and others in the general public flocked to the first sale which also offered evening entertainment. The weekly auctions were so successful that the fair never returned to the market site.
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Across the nation all banks and stores closed at noon on Wednesdays, which made this the ideal day for a nighttime sale. Wednesday auctions began and permanent stands and food counters were added, creating a weekly destination for area farmers and families.
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In September 1965 the 70 by 250 foot wooden building burned. The Leitzels built a concrete block building which was 300 feet by 50 feet and the auction reopened in March 1966.
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In 1943 Richard and Lillian Leitzel sold the Market to Ford and Hilda Leitzel and they, in turn sold it to Thomas Leitzel in 1979. In 2020 it was sold to Gerald Stauffer.
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Over time, the Market opened earlier and earlier and eventually became a morning Market.
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Today the Market boasts several infrastructure updates to the inside and a brand new outdoor pavilion constructed in June 2021! We have a great selection of Small, Local Farmers and Small Business vendors that bring their harvests and products to the people of our community every Wednesday. We also host a series of Special Events mostly held on select Saturdays in the summer and fall.
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Historic Market Photos?
We are looking for old photos of the Market. If you, or someone you know, may have any old photos of the Market, we would love to see them! If you do, please send us a message!