Description: The Aiken County Farmers Market is the oldest county farmers’ market in continuous service in the same location in S.C. Vendors sell fresh produce, baked goods…
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The Aiken County Farmers Market is the oldest county farmers’ market in continuous service in the same location in S.C. Vendors sell fresh produce, baked goods, meat, honey, and dairy products, along with handmade crafts. Goods are displayed on tables built by farmers and their families of Aiken County over 50 years ago. The Market, even now, is a place where conversation and recipes are shared with friends, old and new.
Williamsburg Street between Park and Richland Avenues was the site of the Aiken Cotton Platform and Scale. It was a raised wooden structure open to the elements. Bales of cotton were stored for two blocks along the street up to the cotton gin, across from the Coward-Corley Seed Co. Farmers parked their wagons and cars under the trees. At the busy market, open Monday – Friday, they sold cotton, produce and homemade goods. On Saturdays, beginning in the late 1920’s, farmers, also, sold produce from a shed beh
By 1951 both venues were struggling to stay open. The family farmer was unable to compete with large commercial cotton growers. So the markets decided to combine forces. The Farmers’ Grange with county chain gang labor erected the current structure located in the parkway. By 1954 the farmers and their families built the 45 tables, which are still used today selling homegrown produce, flowers and homemade goods.