Everyday Life at the Market
City Market was never just about commerce — it was Savannah’s heartbeat. In the 1800s, mornings brought the aroma of fresh bread, fish, and flowers mingling in the air. Housewives bargained for produce, dockworkers picked up rations, and street vendors hawked their specialties. Children darted between stalls, and neighbors caught up on news. The market served every walk of life: sailors fresh off the river, plantation owners on business, and laborers buying daily necessities. Many Savannahians remember the market as a place where communities overlapped in ways that were rare in the segregated South. Its stone arches sheltered not only trade but also conversations, celebrations, and even political gatherings. More than a shopping center, City Market shaped the daily rhythm of Savannah—binding together generations in a common space. That sense of shared experience still defines City Market today.