History:
In the early thirties, a group of farmers from the Ephrata, PA area discussed the possibilities of opening a farmers market on the Mainline of Philadelphia. They perceived that this area was willing to pay for the value added in quality Lancaster dressed poultry. These "fully drawn" birds were cleaned much as they are today, but far superior to the standard of that time. In 1933, Norman and Florence Sweigart rented a building in Rosemont and invited a variety of merchants from Lancaster County to join them. The market was simply named the Lancaster County Farmers Market because most of the merchants were from Lancaster.
In 1950 Norman Sweigart was informed that the Rosemont market building was being sold to Acme and that the Lancaster County Farmers Market was going to have to find a new home. Norman was not interested in managing and developing a new location so Hiram Royer and Paul Neff, who were sons-in-law of S. Clyde Weaver and were in the process of buying that business, decided that they would rent a building at 152 East Lancaster Ave., Wayne from Pasquella DePasqua. On April 7, 1951 the Lancaster County Farmers Market opened its doors in downtown Wayne.
When the market moved to Wayne, Pa. in 1951, it added a contingent of Montgomery County standholders as well as some merchants from the area around Wayne. In 1977, when the market moved to its present location, most of the new standholders came from Delaware County, the market's location. At times the market is referred to as the Wayne Market but we have formally kept the original name, Lancaster County Farmers Market.
Season: Year Round
Market Hours:
Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 6am - 4pm
Location: 389 West Lancaster Avenues
