In a period when the only effective refrigeration was supplied by an iceman selling ice from a wagon, most communities boasted a central market square. Local farmers and merchants offered a variety of goods off the tailgates of their wagons to workers and their families who generally resided within walking distance. While Winnipeg's market square had been enclosed since before the turn of the century, this one in Edmonton on Rice Street was more typical. When the weather was good, the market was a centre not only for commerce but also for social intercourse.
Courtesy: Glenbow-Alberta Institute (NA 1328-64815)
