Historic Market Square

The stone facade of the Farmers Market building stands out with its series of arched entryways and a terracotta roof. This is the heart of what locals call El Mercado. While it serves as the largest Mexican market in the United States today, the site began as a designated public space under a seventeen-forty-five grant from the Spanish Crown. It provided a neutral ground where settlers, soldiers, and indigenous traders met to exchange goods, forming the early commercial pulse of the city.