Pike Place Market Centennial
Traffic and the Fate of the Market
Despite its use as a market, Pike Place remained a vital arterial for traffic into downtown and became even more important by 1921 with the extension of Elliott Avenue. Waterfront businesses and the Department of Streets and Sewers demanded that farmers be moved off the street, threatening the existence of the market.
The City Council rejected a proposal to close the market and move farmers to the Westlake Public Market on 5th Avenue between Stewart and Virginia. Instead, they voted to remove the farmers from the street onto the sidewalk, and accepted Goodwin's offer to provide additional space for farmers in a new Public Market building to be constructed across Western Avenue from the Main Market linked by a skybridge.
At first, the farmers were happy with this arrangement because a move to Westlake would have placed them outside of Seattle's then retail core along First and Second Avenues. However, they were soon in conflict with both the City and the Public Market and Department Store Company.
 Policeman |
 Traffic |
 Farmer's resolution |