Puzzling Past, Refreshing Future
With summer activities reaching their end for the year, some may wonder what the outdoors can still offer. Fortunately, the farmers market in Lafayette, Indiana offers a season full of fresh flowers, baked goods, local jams and produce. And while it currently operates every Saturday from May to October, the schedule wasn’t always this consistent.
In 1975, a curator named Alameda McCollough researched the history of the Lafayette Farmer’s Market for an article. To discover when and where the market came to be, confusing evidence found from recent years shrouds its origins in mystery. An 1842 map showed no indication of a Market House, yet a newspaper notice from 2 years prior mentioned a pair of merchants moving to another area of said Market House. Another map published in 1854 confirmed the location of the farmers market being on Fifth St. between Main St. and Columbia St. However, further research pointed to another location highlighted in the town’s newspaper, specifically on Fourth St. Nonetheless, press in 1846 explained the Lafayette Town Board’s decision to widen the street that is now Fifth St. for the market at a cost of $936.31. This accommodated stalls for vendors, public benches, a two-story town hall that included a free school and more. The farmers market became a highly valued part of the community during the time, especially with the town board’s strictness on sanitation and inspection of vendors.
Decades passed until the Lafayette Farmer’s Market was no longer running due to a lawsuit by the Claspills in December 1885. They claimed to have deeded the street as a free, public space, and if not, then they had ownership rights. This was said because the benches and stalls were torn down 9 years before, eventually replacing it with a station for horse-drawn wagons. Because the Claspills’ intentions for the market were long abandoned, they believed ownership should have reverted to them. One theory is that the town moved the station and reestablished the farmers market after the lawsuit.
Despite the uncertainty of the market’s past, it has proven to be reputable for at least 165 years. Presently located in Downtown Lafayette on Fifth St., anyone can visit every Saturday from May to October, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Free parking is available for those who drive, and buses are accessible otherwise.
For those who enjoy melodic background noise, the Lafayette Farmer’s Market welcomes a different musician each week to perform for customers, all of which are local artists.
If you enjoy browsing, the market showcases many products including farm-fresh produce, tea, flowers, toiletries, hot meals and much more. Among the vendors is Bloomers Greenhouse, a small, family-owned farm that sells herbs, flowers and vegetables. You can also visit Chuggy’s Dog Treats, flavors available in apple-peanut butter, pumpkin and sweet potato. Dragonwood produces natural honey and maple syrup, even spice infused. Feast your eyes on locally grown cacti and succulents from Gryphon Greenhouse or snack on Stromboli and breadsticks from Little Italy. There are even blacksmiths, woodworkers, and jewelry makers. If filling your Saturday with something to do was a struggle before, then mark your calendars and plan a trip to Lafayette Farmer’s Market!
