About Cobblestone Hall:
Old World Charm & Historic Elegance With A Downtown Flair!
Cobblestone Hall is downtown Raleigh's premier special event's facility. The facility is located in City Market with the main entrance on Wolfe Street. With the unrivaled Moore Square Park across the street and historic cobblestone streets, buildings, specialty boutiques, and restaurants all around - there is nothing like it!
City Market History
The
day was October 1, 1914. Headlines in the Raleigh News & Observer told of
the price of cotton being 10 cents a pound and the build-up of troops in
Europe readying themselves for the "great conflict". But the headlines
that captivated most Raleigh citizens on this day read "New Market Is Now
Open - Thousands Throng The Building While Ceremonies Are In Progress".
The Mayor on this October day was James I. Johnson who presented the
Market to the City. Those representing the City included Mr. Alexander
Webb, President of the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. Charles McKimmon
of the Housewives League and Mr. Walter Johnson, President of the Raleigh
Merchants Bureau. Mr. John Park was Master of Ceremonies. All prominent
names in Raleigh's social and business history then and now.
Jesse G. Adams won the contract to build the City Market building with a
bid of $23,386.06. Architect for the project was James Matthew Kennedy, a
native of Wayne County.
From October 1, 1914 until the mid 1940's the City Market flourished.
Farmers from the Eastern part of the state came regularly in their trucks
and horse drawn carts bringing produce, poultry, seafood and flowers. Home
baked goods were also a favorite among Raleigh city wives. On Saturdays
you would find farmers gathered at the Market and in Moore Square (known
as the "the Grove") visiting and picnicking with their family and friends.
With the advent of supermarkets and the opening of a new Farmers Market
off Capital Boulevard in 1957, the old City Market no longer satisfied the
need of Raleigh households so in June of 1957 the City Council adopted a
resolution to close it. In 1959 the building was sold to an individual who
leased it to a furniture store.
In 1980, the City Council secured a grant from the North Carolina Division
of Archives & History to study the architectural resources surrounding
Moore Square. As a result, the City Market was recognized by the National
Register of Historic Places. The City then began work to rehabilitate the
Market and nearby buildings
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