Our Story

Open Thursday and Saturday, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. from May until December, the Brockville Farmers' Market 
has become one of the oldest continuous markets in Ontario, known for its friendly vendors and scenic location.

What started off as a small stone building with 4 butchers and several produce stalls has now evolved into a bustling street of approximately 34 merchants. Since it first opened almost 178 years ago this quaint market, with its friendly and welcoming atmosphere, has played an integral role in the development of Brockville’s rich cultural history.



The story of the Farmers’ Market begins October 28th, 1832 when local Charles Jones, donated 2 acres of land to the city as a site for a market place. A few years later, Jones’ land became the site of a small stone building that was rented out to area butchers with farmers manning stalls outside. The market quickly became popular, so much so that from 1862-1864 it under went reconstruction in order to house 16 vendors inside with extra stalls available outside.

 

 

Noted: This image is taken looking south from King Street You can see a Cruise Boat at the Dock Thanks to Doug Avery from his Post Card Collection

In 1904 the face of the Farmers’ market changed forever. The market was moved outside onto Market Street East and West and the lawn behind its former building. The Victoria Building, which once housed the Farmers’ market, became the new site of city hall. When the lawn behind city hall was used as the site for the Fulford Fountain in 1912, the Farmer’s market once more relocated.



After 177 years, the Brockville’s Farmers’ market is found on Market Street West. While it may be smaller in area, it still boasts 51 market stalls selling everything from fresh picked fruits and vegetables, to maple syrup, crafts and flowers. It has become a major attraction for both locals and visitors alike.

 

 

 

 

Image taken of the Brockville Farmers' Market taken from Water Street Thanks to Doug Avery from his Post Card Collection

 

 

 

This is a reproduction on an image taken from the roof of the Hotel Manitonna.

Noted here is the Brockville Farmers' Market stalls and customers on the lower right hand side of the image. Even closer, just over the edge of the roof as shown on the photo, a smaller earlier John H. Fulford fountain.



On the St Lawrence River, is the cruise ship "Toronto" as she approaches the dock on her first trip down river in 1933. Blockhouse Island was home to a couple of wooden industrial buildings, which included the flour and feed business of J.S. Jeffery, managed by his son, John A. Jeffery.  It is also known that a pickle factory was located on the island. The large pickle vat is seen just back of the billboards on the right hand side of the image.

Just beyond the cars and trucks is a little building owned by the railway but not identified.  The four billboards were a feature seen from Water Street' and just beyond them a collection of wooden boat houses on the north side of "'Tunnel Bay". Out of view to the right on the image was a popular baseball park which hugged the edge of the property at Broad and Water Streets.  Presently, this is now a municipal parking lot.

The source of this photograph is a quick snapshot taken by Rida (Fullerton) Barker from her apartment in the Hotel Manitonna.  The above image was scanned from a newspaper article by local historian Doug Grant in the Brockville Recorder and Times, Saturday 15, 2000.

 

 

 

The following images are from a collection of the Edgar Clow family photographs. Edgar and his family were vendors on the market during the 50's, 60's and 70's

 

Chair of the Market Marsha Countryman with Mayor David Henderson, Bob Runciman MPP, Gord Brown MP and Deputy Chief of Police MacArthur

Open the 2007 Brockville Market on their 175th anniversary



Market Vendors on the East and West Sides of Market Street 
July 2009



 

 

 

 

2010 Brockville Farmer's Market is named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Leeds and Grenville Small Business Enterprise Centre Shown here from left to right: Doug Avery, Bernice Mallory, Chuck Abrams, Margaret Plume, Koren Manneck 2010 Market Executive Members and the Manager of the Leeds and Grenville Small Enterprise Centre Wendy Onstein

 

 

 

BROCKVILLE WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL 2011 ... A GREAT SUCCESS ...

 

The Brockville Farmers' Market booth at the 2011 Food & Wine Festival was a popular destination for many festival visitors. It featured an attractive display of Market products and the opportunity to enter a draw for "Market Bucks" that they can spend at Market vendors' booths.

 

           


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