Open on Fridays, the 2nd Street Market was host to fall festivals. The Latimers probably did not visit this market as much, because they were related to the founder of the 4th street market, and there was initially a lot of animosity when the 2nd street market opened in competition. For a time, the government of Wilmington met on the second floor of this market, which emphasizes the importance of markets in Wilmington life.
“Thus for a century and a half have the country people from this neighborhood and from across the Delaware brought their produce to town in carts, dearborns and market-wagons, which stand with their tail-boards to the pavement, while a row of benches placed along the curb displays their wares; butter as yellow as gold and as sweet as a nut, milk, eggs, sausage, scrapple, vegetables, and poultry, all fresh from the farm. Up and down in front of this array of benches the town-folk crowd and jostle, inspecting the marketing, and driving shrewd bargains with the venders…In the hottest day of summer, when the sun beats down on straw-hats and shirt-sleeves, in the coldest day of winter, when the snow drifts in blinding sheets up the street, these good folk come to town to turn an honest penny In summer-time the wagons stand upon the east side of the street to avoid as much as possible the morning sun; in winter they shift to the west side, so as to gain the warmth as soon as possible.”
Scharf, Thomas J. History of Delaware: 1609-1888 (Philadelphia. L.J. Richards & Company, 1888)
