The first public market in the city was established on the “strand,” the stretch of land along the waterfront to the east of the old Battery. Director-general Peter Stuyvesant formally established the market in a proclamation dated September, 1656.
Greeting: Whereas, now and then the people from without are in the habit of bringing into the city different commodities, such as veal, pork, butter, cheese, turnips, roots, straw, and other products of the land, for the purpose of selling them; and it frequently happens, particularly here at the ‘Strand,’ that they are obliged to tarry long, and to lodge to their great damage, for the reason, because the community, or at least the greater part, especially of those who live away from the ‘Strand,’ are not aware that such commodities have been brought for sale, not alone to the discommoding of the ‘Burgerers,’ but also to the notorious injury of the enterprising man from without, who frequently has to lose more in his time than the profit on his commodities will warrant; therefore, for the purpose of making provision in the premises, the ‘Director-General and the Councillors’ aforesaid, by these presents, do ordain, that from this time forth, here in this city, Saturday shall be the market-day, and market shall be held at the strand, at or around the house of Mr. Hans Kierstede, where, after him, every one shall be permitted to enter that has anything to buy or sell.
Shortly afterward, in 1658, a market for larger animals was established on the field north of the fort at the site of what is now Bowling Green. This field was soon referred to as the Marckvelt, which was later anglicized to Marketfield. The present Whitehall Street, which is visible in the illustration above as the street running left to right away from the waterfront, was sometimes called the Marckvelt Street, as it not only held its own market but also led from the south waterfront to the market field itself.
Another lane led to the market from the western waterfront, which was at that time along the line of present West Street. This lane was referred to as the Marckvelt Steegh or “market field path” and was the origin of the present Marketfield Street. The street extended from the waterfront along the line of the present Battery Place, running south of Bowling Green, and then to Broad Street. The portion west of Broadway officially became Battery Place in 1857. In 1880, a portion of the street east of Broadway was sold to the New York Produce exchange and closed, leaving only a stub of the street west of Broad retaining the name Marketfield. This stub was extended north to Beaver Street in line with New Street. This short section is sometimes mapped as part of New Street, however the present street signs indicate it as Marketfield.
References
De Voe, Thomas F. 1862. The market book, containing a historical account of the public markets in the cities of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Brooklyn, with a brief description of every article of human food sold therein, the introduction of cattle in America, and notices of many remarkable specimens, Vol. I. New York: Printed for the author.