Smiths Falls Public Market Building plaque

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The plaque reads: "The public Market building was designed and constructed in 1894 by Matthew J. Ryan. Ryan was local contractor who had also won contracts to build the Fire Hall, Town Hall, and St. Francis Catholic School. The interior of the market building was designed with several stores and stands that were leased to local merchants and farmers. // Before the Market Building was constructed, a Farmers' Exchange was located in the Washburn Block located at the southwest corner of Beckwith and Main Streets. A municipally built market allowed the town to regulate the size and quality of goods being sold. It also allowed residents to purchase directly from farmers. // By the mid-1920s the market had fallen into decline. Wholesalers and distribution companies such as Allan Soper & Co., George Robertson & Son Ltd., and J. Quattrocchi & Co. Ltd., were able to stock local grocers with canned foods as well as fresh produce from the southern states throughout the year. // In the 1950s the market building was turned over to the Canadian Pacific Veterans Club. // The building was demolished in the early 1970s to create a parking lot for downtown businesses."

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