It was a once a treasured spot for Fresno residents to grab lunch and pick up some fresh produce. But it has an interesting backstory dating back over a century. The story of the old Fresno Farmer’s Market, today on KVPR’s Central Valley Roots.
Located on an oddly shaped parcel where Divisadero, Tulare and U Streets meet, the Fresno Farmer’s Market was built in 1948. It was part open-air farmers market, part food court. If you’ve been to the Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles at 3rd and Fairfax, you get the picture. The development was an eclectic mix of 1940’s ranch-style buildings complete with a windmill. The buildings formed a perimeter around an open-air interior that housed different vendors.
It was built on a site that had a long history. The property was once home to a mansion owned by railroad promoter Marcus Pollasky. When Pollasky’s railroad went bust, the property was purchased by real estate mogul T.W. Patterson. The mansion came down in the 1940s to make way for the market, which was expanded and modified several times over the year.
The interior was enclosed and transformed into a food hall in the 1980s, housing popular Fresno favorites like Round Up Barbeque, Castillo’s and Dai Ichi. But it wasn’t to last. The market was demolished in 1995 to make way for an Office Depot big box store.
