The Henderson Curb Market began as an idea in late 1928, when the Henderson County Homemakers’ Clubs proposed a farmers’ market to connect rural producers directly with city consumers. Meetings at the County Farm Bureau and Soaper Hotel brought in support from nearly every civic and agricultural organization in Henderson. Leaders like Mrs. H. E. Von Tobel, N. Powell Taylor, Isadora Williams (home demonstration agent), and J. M. Dyer (county agent) pushed the plan forward. By early 1929, the City Commissioners approved a location on South Main Street between First and Washington, setting the stage for Henderson’s first organized farm-to-table market.

The market opened on May 25, 1929, after months of debate over location and rules. Mrs. Robert Hickman was elected as the first Market Master. The market began with strict regulations: only farmers could sell, permits were required, and stalls were assigned to ensure fairness. It was open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, 7–10 a.m. Opening day offerings included peas, radishes, potatoes, onions, broilers, eggs, cottage cheese, cakes, pies, breads, preserves, flowers, and even puppies. Nearly everything sold out before closing, confirming the community’s appetite for the venture.

Through the summer of 1929, the curb market grew rapidly — from 16 to more than 23 booths — with chickens, strawberries, cherries, home-cured hams, and handmade ice cream drawing crowds. Newspapers noted that practically all items sold each day, often before mid-morning. The market became not only a place of commerce but also a social gathering point, strengthening ties between farm and town families. State homemaking agents and recreation leaders visited Henderson to study the curb market as a model for Kentucky, since it was the only one of its kind in the state at that time.

To maintain continuity through cold weather, the curb market moved indoors each winter. First held in the YMCA basement, and later in the old Gleaner-Journal building on North Main Street, these winter quarters allowed the market to thrive year-round. Reports from 1929 and 1930 recorded thousands of dollars in sales — nearly $7,000 in the first year and over $8,900 by late 1930. Sponsors emphasized not only the financial benefits but also the improvements to household living conditions and the spread of better farming and food preservation practices.

Throughout the 1930s, the Henderson Curb Market continued as a fixture of community life. By 1931, orchards and new farm groups joined in, and Henderson residents relied on it for fresh produce, dairy, and meats. In addition to sales, the market reflected civic generosity, with leaders like Ben E. Niles offering facilities free of charge to keep the market running. As one article noted, the market helped families “turn their surplus produce into ready cash” while bringing comforts and necessities into Henderson homes.

The market’s importance extended into the World War II years. In 1943, a delegation led by Elva D. Allen (Farm Bureau president) and Mrs. T. J. Clayton (curb market master) petitioned the city to build a permanent market house with at least 25 stalls, citing the need for canning vegetables and steady supplies during wartime. County Agent H. R. Jackson noted Henderson had more than 200 small farms ideal for supplying such a market. Although the request was not immediately granted, this effort shows the curb market’s central role in both daily life and the wartime economy.

Timeline of Key Events
• Nov–Dec 1928: Homemakers’ Clubs propose market; civic groups endorse.
• May 25, 1929: Market opens on South Main Street.
• Summer 1929: Rapid growth, 23+ booths; studied as model for Kentucky.
• Winter 1929–30: Moves indoors to YMCA basement.
• May 1930: First anniversary; $6,893.61 in sales, 1,162 participants.
• Oct 1930: Still drawing crowds late in season.
• 1931: Indoor site secured at old Gleaner-Journal building via Ben E. Niles.
• 1943: Farm Bureau and market leaders petition for permanent market house during WWII.

Legacy

The Henderson Curb Market stood as a pioneering experiment in direct farm marketing, organized largely by women leaders and supported by the city and farm bureau. It gave local farmers fairer prices, helped families supplement their incomes, and provided Henderson with a reliable source of fresh produce, meats, and homemade goods. Beyond economics, it fostered civic cooperation, linked rural and urban communities, and even served as a wartime food security measure.

Although Henderson never built the permanent market house sought in 1943, the curb market left an enduring mark as one of Kentucky’s earliest and most successful experiments in farm-to-consumer marketing