New Market and Head House

Established on Lombard Street in 1745 by mayor Edward Shippen and Joseph Wharton, a wealthy merchant, and named "New Market" to distinguish it from the established market on High (now Market) Street, the market was used well into the 19th century. It originally consisted of sixteen stalls The Head House, a Georgian-style brick firehouse with Federal-style ornamentation, was built at the north end of the market; the building's cupola once housed a firebell. The Head House has also undergone restoration. The site was declared a National Historic Landmark on November 13, 1966. It is a contributing property of the Head House Square National Historic District. It was restored in 1994 by the Head House Conservancy, a non-profit organization. In 1975, a modern steel-and-glass retail and restaurant complex called NewMarket opened east of the historic market between Pine and Lombard Streets. The center struggled to attract customers and was essentially vacant by 1988. An early 1990s revival as a cabaret entertainment district was short-lived. The complex was demolished in 2002 and its site was subsequently redeveloped. ==Head House Square==

The area around the building, known as Head House Square (or Headhouse Square), features cobblestone streets and a park, as well as one of the oldest continuously run farmer's markets in the nation. The farmer's market is open on Sundays year round, 10am - 2pm May through December and 10am-1pm January through April. The area, which comprises twenty-two contributing properties over , was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district in 1972. The houses surrounding the square are from the late 18th to early 19th centuries, and the area was extensively restored in the 1950s and 1960s. The houses have always been used both as residences and as commercial buildings. Most are typical middle class examples of their time, though the John Ross House at 401 S. 2nd was one of the largest townhouses of its day. It was visited by George Washington. ==See also==