Historic Market Square (El Mercado)

Historic Market Square is a three-block pedestrian plaza of shops and restaurants on the west side of downtown San Antonio, bounded by Dolorosa, Santa Rosa and West Commerce streets, and it is billed as the largest Mexican market in the United States. San Antonio's plazas had long doubled as markets, where at night the 'Chili Queens' sold chili from lantern-lit stalls, and the market moved here from Military Plaza in the 1890s. The El Mercado building was put up by the Works Progress Administration in 1938-1939 as the Municipal Truck Market, where farmers sold produce straight from their trucks, until the last produce was sold in 1975 and it was enclosed as an air-conditioned mercado. After wholesalers left for a new terminal market during World War II, merchants and a city market committee led by architect Boone Powell revived the square, which had regained its bustle by 1976. Today El Mercado holds 32 shops and Farmers Market Plaza about 80, alongside restaurants such as Mi Tierra Cafe y Panaderia, and the square hosts Cinco de Mayo and Día de los Muertos celebrations.