{{Short description|Public space located in Downtown Pittsburgh}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox PAhistoric | name = Market Square | PAhistoric_type = CPHD | PAhistoric_type2 = PHLF | image = Market Square Pittsburgh.JPG | alt = | caption = Market Square | location = Market Square in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA | locmapin = Pittsburgh | map_alt = | map_caption = | area = | built = 1890s | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | architect = | governing_body = | designated_PAhistoric_PHLF =2009 | designated_PAhistoric_CP = December 28, 1992<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/maps/historical/Market-Square-CHD.pdf | title=Market Square City Designated Historic District | publisher=City of Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission | accessdate=2010-01-06 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108053947/http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/maps/historical/Market-Square-CHD.pdf | archivedate=2010-01-08 }}</ref> }} '''Market Square''' is a public space located in Downtown Pittsburgh at the intersection of Forbes Avenue (originally named Diamond Alley in colonial times) and Market Street. The square was home to the first courthouse and first jail (both in 1795), and the first newspaper west of the Allegheny Mountains, the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'' (1786). A public/private modernization in the late 2000s has re-established the square as a social and cultural hub.<ref>[http://www.downtownpittsburgh.com/market-square Market Square Informational Website], published by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. Accessed 7 February 2012.</ref> A great number of restaurants, ranging from fast casual to fine dining, cafes and retailers occupy ground level buildings immediately facing the square, while housing units and offices occupy upper levels.<ref>[http://www.downtownpittsburgh.com/market-square/attractions Market Square Attractions] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122162440/http://www.downtownpittsburgh.com/market-square/attractions |date=2012-01-22 }}, published by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership. Retrieved 7 February 2012.</ref>
== History ==
George Woods and Thomas Vickroy, while creating the city block plan for streets in Pittsburgh's core, created Market Square in 1784. It was known originally as "Diamond Square" or "Diamond Market" for the Scotch-Irish idiom "Diamond" representing a public commons or square.<ref name="PDPHistory">[http://www.downtownpittsburgh.com/market-square/history-and-uses Market Square History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111028090354/http://www.downtownpittsburgh.com/market-square/history-and-uses |date=2011-10-28 }}, published by Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership with content from Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation. Retrieved 7 February 2012.</ref>
===Seat of government=== By the mid-1790s, the first Allegheny County Courthouse was constructed in Market Square.<ref name="PDPHistory"/> It was occupied until 1836 when construction was completed on a Grant Street complex several blocks away.
On December 7, 1818, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania gaveled in its very first session at the square.<ref>The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania [http://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/Applications/pawd_outreach/HistoryHistory.html History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002043540/http://www.pawd.uscourts.gov/Applications/pawd_outreach/HistoryHistory.html |date=2013-10-02 }}. Retrieved 7 February 2012.</ref>
On July 8, 1794, the newly formed "borough" of Pittsburgh established a "Public Market House and Stalls" on the eastern half of the square. It also was the site of the original city hall for the borough and then city of Pittsburgh until May 22, 1872 when the second city hall opened at Oliver and Smithfield. The Courthouse was abandoned at the square in 1836 after the completion of a new county seat, and sold to private interests at auction on August 11, 1841.<ref>Information obtained from [https://archive.today/20120701120323/http://174.123.24.242/leagle/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=1950751365Pa386_1689.xml&docbase=CSLWAR1-1950-1985 legal proceeding] involving Market Square, filed 2 October 1950. Retrieved via internet 7 February 2012.</ref>
===Presbyterian Convention=== On May 26, 1858 the city hall/courthouse was the host of the conference of Presbyterians that led to the merger forming the United Presbyterian Church of North America.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}
===20th Century=== thumb|right|250px|Nicholas Coffee Co. located in Market Square Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Market Square provided a central location in the city, hosting much social and economic activity.<ref name="PGarticle">{{cite news | last = Smith | first = Brady |author2=HJ Heinz History Center | title = Let's Learn From the Past: Market Square | newspaper = Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | location = Pittsburgh | date = 8 December 2011 | url = http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11342/1195199-51.stm | accessdate = 7 February 2012}}</ref> By the mid-1970s, however, Market Square was in a state of decline resulting from increased traffic, crime and business closures. Preservationists and the city of Pittsburgh designated the area a historic landmark in an attempt to retain the square's crumbling architecture and style.<ref name="PGarticle"/>
===21st Century=== Major renovation work began in August 2009 to transform the square into a European-style piazza, completely reopening in late 2010.<ref>{{cite news | last = Boren | first = Jeremy | title = Market Square reopens; businesses eager for patrons | newspaper = Pittsburgh Tribune Review | location = Pittsburgh | date = 25 August 2010 | url = http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_696267.html | accessdate = 7 February 2012 }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> All vehicle traffic was diverted around the square to increase pedestrian-friendliness, and more outdoor seating was provided.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wpxi.com/news/19699962/detail.html |title=Market Square's $5M Renovation to Begin Aug. 1 - News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh |accessdate=2009-06-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607015434/http://www.wpxi.com/news/19699962/detail.html |archivedate=2011-06-07 }}</ref> Nearby, new apartments, condominiums and office space with ground-level retail have been fitted into historic buildings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.downtownpittsburgh.com/_files/docs/greater-market-square.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2009-06-22 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206212948/http://www.downtownpittsburgh.com/_files/docs/greater-market-square.pdf |archivedate=2010-12-06 }}</ref> Renovations accelerated growth of Market Square, and numerous restaurants opened in 2011, further increasing social activity within the square.<ref>[http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11359/1198780-46.stm "On the Menu: A humming dining scene gave Pittsburghers lots of great new tastes in 2011"]. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.</ref>
== Festivals and events == Market Square is a frequent location for local events and celebrations, including a farmers' market held every Thursday and a Christmas village.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-03-06|title=Market Square Pittsburgh|url=https://www.visitpittsburgh.com/blog/a-guide-to-market-square/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Visit Pittsburgh|language=en-US}}</ref> The square also holds many temporary non-repeating events; as an example, in the lead up to the reviving of an airline route between Pittsburgh International and London Heathrow, British Airways launched a promotional British-style telephone booth in the square where locals were able to enter raffles and competitions for free flights and other prizes.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-03-27|title=After 20 Years, British Airways Returns To Pittsburgh, Offering Non-Stop Flights To London|url=https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2019/03/27/british-airways-returns-to-pittsburgh/|access-date=2021-03-31|language=en-US}}</ref>
==See also== * Mellon Square
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category|Market Square, Pittsburgh}} *[http://marketsquarepgh.com/ Official Market Square Merchants Association Website] * [http://www.downtownpittsburgh.com/market-square Official Website from Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership] *[https://marketsquarepgh.blogspot.com/ Official Blog]
{{Pittsburgh parks}} {{coord|40.440669|N|80.002547|W|format=dms|region:US-PA_type:landmark|display=title}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Pittsburgh Category:City of Pittsburgh historic designations Category:Parks in Pittsburgh Category:Squares in Pittsburgh Category:Urban public parks Category:Tourist attractions in Pittsburgh Category:Streets in Pittsburgh