130th Anniversary
July 22, 2022Reading Terminal Market celebrated its 130th year of operation
Read More >Filbert St. Transformation Project
July 22, 2022The streetscape outside the Market was enhanced to create a curbless “festival street” aimed at increasing public use of the 1100 block of Filbert St.
Read More >COVID-19
July 22, 2022Reading Terminal Market operated as an essential business during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic ensuring Philadelphians had continued access to fresh, affordable food.
Read More >125TH ANNIVERSARY
July 22, 2022The Market Celebrates its 125th Anniversary on February 22nd.
Read More >120 YEARS
July 22, 2022The Reading Terminal Market celebrated 120 years of bringing fresh and local food to Philadelphia.
Read More >GROWTH
July 22, 2022The Reading Terminal Market was 100% occupied, a result of growth in downtown residential population and tourism.
Read More >NON-PROFIT CORPORATION
July 22, 2022Non-profit Reading Terminal Market Corporation created to manage the market.
Read More >NEW CUSTOMERS
July 22, 2022The adjacent Pennsylvania Convention Center opened and brought new customers to the market.
Read More >THE FOOD TRUST
July 22, 2022The Food Trust was founded as a program of the Reading Terminal Market
Read More >RTM ACQUIRED
July 22, 2022Pennsylvania Convention Center bought the Reading Terminal Market.
Read More >MARKET PRESERVATION
July 22, 2022Supporters of the market organized The Reading Terminal Market Preservation Fund to ensure that the market retained its character as the convention center project developed.
Read More >NEW MARKET EAST STATION
July 22, 2022The new Market East Station with rail and subway services connecting all major transportation lines opened underneath the market.
Read More >INCREASED OCCUPANCY
July 22, 2022The market was 60% occupied and had become a center for charitable and seasonable food events and impromptu piano concerts.
Read More >EMERGING FROM BANKRUPTCY
July 22, 2022The Reading Company emerged from bankruptcy, bought out the lease, and began to invest in the market.
Read More >LEASING THE MARKET
July 22, 2022The Reading Company leased the Market to a real estate speculator 15 years. He raised rents driving out 30 of the 56 remaining merchants.
Read More >BANKRUPTCY
July 22, 2022Reading Company declared bankruptcy and no longer invested in the upkeep of the market.
Read More >PRESERVATION OF THE MARKET
July 22, 20221970-1980: Preservationists who wanted to save the market battled with those who wanted to demolish it to advance the East Market Redevelopment plan
Read More >INFORMAL MARKETS
July 22, 2022Informal markets formed around Front and High (Market) Streets near where farmers and fisherman brought their goods from southern New Jersey.
Read More >IMPROVING SAFETY
July 22, 20221950 – 1960 New local and federal regulations intended to improve safety of the food supply increased merchants’ cost of doing business.
Read More >RATIONING DURING THE WAR
July 22, 2022Rationing during World War II brought episodic meat and dairy shortages to the nation
Read More >CELEBRATION OF THE RTM MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION
July 22, 2022Reading Terminal Market Merchants’ Association celebrated its fourth year in with the Third Food Show and Home -Progress Exposition with 140 exhibitors and 60,000 attendees….
Read More >UPGRADES TO THE MARKET
July 22, 2022The Reading Company invested in new doorways and six refrigerated show windows along Twelfth Street.
Read More >MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION
July 22, 2022Merchants organized the Reading Terminal Market Merchants’ Association to stem the loss of business from the City’s new parking regulations and the downturn in the…
Read More >THE SOURCE
July 22, 2022Reading Terminal Market advertised itself as the “Source of Main Food Supply of Philadelphia and Adjacent Territory” with 250 specialized dealers and 100 farmers occupying…
Read More >RTM OPENS FOR BUSINESS
July 22, 2022The Reading Terminal Market opened for business. Merchants at the Butchers and Farmers’ Market and the Franklin Market moved into the new Reading Terminal Market.
Read More >CONSTRUCTION
July 22, 2022Construction began on the Reading Terminal after the Company agreed to build a market underneath the new railroad station.
Read More >CONSOLIDATION
July 22, 2022The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Company consolidated its four Philadelphia terminals to build one large terminal in downtown Philadelphia. The Company purchased the 1110 block…
Read More >BUTCHERS AND FARMERS MARKETS
July 22, 2022The indoor Butchers’ and Farmers’ Market located in the 1100 block of Market Street opened for business. The indoor Franklin Market was established on 10th…
Read More >REMOVAL OF OUTDOOR MARKET STRUCTURES
July 22, 2022Select and Common Councils of the City of Philadelphia directed the Commissioner of Markets to remove the outdoor market structures located on east Market Street…
Read More >NINE MARKET HOUSES
July 22, 2022Market Street had nine market houses that stretched from Water to Eighth Street and two markets west of Broad Street between Fifteenth and Seventeenth Streets
Read More >MARKET STREET
July 22, 2022City ordinance changed the name of High Street to Market Street.
Read More >DEMOLISHING THE 1709 MARKET
July 22, 2022City Commissioners voted to demolish the 1709 market house to make way for new market houses made of cast iron.
Read More >COLUMBIA-PHILADELPHIA RAILROAD
July 22, 2022The Columbia-Philadelphia Railroad began laying streetcar tracks on High Street. Streetcars were not permitted to run on market days.
Read More >REBUILDING
July 22, 2022City ordinance approved the rebuilding of the 1720s Jersey Market House on Market Street between Front and Second Streets.
Read More >ORDINANCE PASSED
July 22, 2022Ordinance passed for building a fish market on High Street east of Water Street
Read More >MARKET SHEDS
July 22, 2022Market sheds or shambles lined High Street from Second to Sixth Street
Read More >MARKET OPENED
July 22, 2022North Second Street Market at Second and Coates (later Fairmount) opened
Read More >NEW MARKET
July 22, 2022New Market at Second and Pine Streets opened. The market house was added in 1804.
Read More >MARKET DAYS
July 22, 2022On market days, Wednesday and Saturdays, iron chains were put up at sunrise to protect shoppers from the carts and carriages
Read More >TOWNE HALL
July 22, 2022First permanent head house was built in the middle of Second and High Streets. Known as “Towne Hall” the building served as Pennsylvania’s capitol until…
Read More >FORMAL MARKET
July 22, 2022Local government agreed to have a formal market with a market head house located where Second Street crossed High Street.
Read More >GATHERING
July 22, 2022Informal markets formed around Front and High (Market) Streets near where farmers and fisherman brought their goods from southern New Jersey.
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