Editing Italian Market (section)

=== Founding and Age ===

The Italian Market dates to '''1884''', making it over 140 years old. The market's history is closely tied to the wave of Italian immigration that transformed Philadelphia in the late 19th century.<ref name="encyclopedia">{{cite web |url=https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/italian-market/ |title=Italian Market |publisher=Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia |access-date=December 22, 2025}}</ref>

The market's development followed a pattern common to immigrant neighborhoods:

* '''1884''' - Italian immigrants begin settling in the area, establishing an "immigrant settlement zone"
* '''1880s-1890s''' - Antonio Palumbo opens a boarding house, and businesses spring up to serve the growing Italian community
* '''1902''' - More than 70,000 Italian immigrants and their children live in the Bella Vista district
* '''1914''' - South 9th Street is formally recognized as a business district
* '''1915''' - The South Ninth Street Business Men's Association receives a charter from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
* '''2007''' - Pennsylvania Historical and Museums Commission dedicates an historic marker

The market thrived during World War I when it helped counter food shortages and high prices. Italian merchants specialized in fresh produce, meats, and cheeses that other retailers couldn't match.