Fayetteville Market House

The Market House in Fayetteville served as both marketplace and Town Hall from the time of its construction in 1838 until the early 20th century. It stands on the site of the old state house and Town Hall that burned down in 1831.

The building includes features somewhat uncommon in the southern United States - specifically, an open ground level with a meeting house on top. This format is more commonly found in the United Kingdom, New England and the British Isles.

Protestors attempted to burn down the building in 2020, in connection with the George Floyd protests, and presumably also inspired by the market’s history as a place where enslaved people were sold as chattel. The fire was quickly quenched with only minor damage to the structure. The words “Black Lives Matter” in yellow paint encircled the Market House for six months following the protests after being voted on as a “time limited artistic piece” by the city council, but the mural was removed in January 2021 with mixed reactions from the local community.

The eye-catching Market House, which is topped by a belfry, clock, cupola, and weathervane, centers a roundabout at the  junction of Green, Person, Gillespie, and Hay Streets in downtown Fayetteville.