Benton Harbor Fruit Market facts for kids
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| Industry | Farm Produce and Markets |
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| Founded | 1860 |
| Headquarters | , |
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Area served
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Southwest Michigan |
| Owner | Benton Harbor Fruit Market Inc. |
The Benton Harbor Fruit Market is a large market in Michigan, USA. It's a place where farmers sell their fresh fruits and vegetables. This market began a long time ago, in 1860. Today, it's still a busy spot for selling produce to many different people. This includes big stores, smaller shops, and even families.
The market is located in Benton Harbor, Michigan. This area is part of Michigan's "fruit belt," which is famous for growing lots of fruit. The market operates during certain seasons of the year, usually when crops are ready to be harvested.
Contents
History of the Market
How the Market Started
When the Benton Harbor Fruit Market first opened in 1860, it was located by the city's wharves. Wharves are like docks where ships can load and unload goods. Farmers would bring their produce to these docks. From there, the fruits and vegetables were shipped across Lake Michigan by boat.
Moving and Growing Big
Later, people started using trains and trucks more than ships to move goods. So, the market moved away from the docks. It found a new home on the north side of Benton Harbor. By the 1940s, the market had become very large. People even called it "the largest cash-to-growers outlet in the world." This meant it was the biggest place where farmers could sell their crops directly for cash.
The market sold produce to many different customers. These included restaurants, grocery stores, and even people buying for their own homes.
A Busy Place in the 1960s
By 1960, the market was huge. It had space for 293 buyers to set up their stalls. The entire market covered about 16 acres, which is like 12 football fields! This big area included places for wholesale selling (selling large amounts to businesses) and retail selling (selling smaller amounts to individuals). There was also a restaurant and even a place for workers to stay.
At that time, the main products sold were strawberries, peaches, and tomatoes. The market sold so many of these crops that it made up half of all the sales for these fruits and vegetables in the entire United States.
Who Owns the Market?
For many years, the City of Benton Harbor owned and ran the market. But today, a private company called Benton Harbor Fruit Market Inc. owns and operates it.
Important Moments for the Market
Supporting Farm Workers
On July 20, 1970, something special happened at the market. A group of people marched there to show their support for farm workers. This march was part of a bigger effort called the California Grape Boycott. This boycott was organized by important leaders like César Chávez and Dolores Huerta. They were working with the United Farm Workers to help farm workers get better pay and working conditions. The march at Benton Harbor showed that people in Michigan cared about these issues too.
Land for the Airport
In 2010, the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport needed more land. The airport decided to use a process called eminent domain to get five acres of the fruit market's land. Eminent domain means the government or a public company can take private land for public use, but they must pay a fair price for it.
The market and the airport went to court over this. In 2011, a court in Berrien County decided that the market should receive $2.25 million as payment for the land.
