Wendy Robert
The Fulton market once stood just a few blocks from Wall Street in lower Manhattan, near the Brooklyn Bridge. New York City donated that land to the market in 1807, opening as a general market for fish and other goods. In 1822 the fish merchants began occupying spots at a new Fulton Fish Market building located on South Street between Fulton and Beekman Streets. Before 1850, Brooklyn housekeepers would purchase fish directly from the market. However, wholesale customers gradually came to dominate the market, and in 1924 nearly 25% of all seafood sold in the country was sold there.
The Fulton Fish Market primarily consisted of two open-air structures, the “Tin Building” and the “New Building,” rented by different dealers from the Port Authority of New York, with closed offices behind each booth. Mayor La Guardia opened the New Building in 1939 after the pilings of the old market building failed in 1936, and the whole building slid into the river.
Economists have long studied Fulton Fish Market as an example of the imperfect competition despite being highly centralized with many well-informed buyers and sellers. Graddy found that third-degree price discrimination existed in the Fulton market in 1992. On average, Asian customers, who tend to be more price elastic, were quoted lower prices than white buyers, by 6.3 cents. According to Graddy, Asian and white buyers serve different markets. In Chinatown, where the restaurant sector was highly competitive, Asian buyers were more likely to resell fish whole to retail and fry shops in poorer neighborhoods. Since they resold to less elastic customers, they had less chance of passing on the price to their customers.
#1 Barrels of fish on the docks at Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers and wholesalers, 1920s
#2 Stevedores at the Fulton fish market unloading fish from boats caught off, 1920s
#3 A scene at the Fulton fish market, 1934
#4 People Working at Fulton Fish Market, 1924
#5 Stumping for votes in the Fulton Fish Market, Democratic Sen, 1960s
#6 Stumping for votes in the Fulton Fish Market, 1960s
#7 A sign at the Fulton fish market advertising a fish dealers’ banquet and hall, 1942
#8 Workmen from the sanitary department flushing the street in front of the Fulton fish market late in the evening. Artist Gordon Parks, 1930s
#9 Crates of seafood waiting for delivery at the Fulton fish market, 1930s
#10 An early morning scene at the Fulton fish market, 1930s
#11 Gloucester fishermen resting on their boat at the Fulton fish market, 1930s
#12 Gloucester fishermen resting on their boat at the Fulton fish market, 1930s
#13 Barrels of fish on the docks at Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers and wholesalers, 1920s
#14 Fulton fish market street scene. Artist Gordon Parks, 1920s
#15 Dock scene, Fulton fish market, 1920s
#16 Dock stevedores at the Fulton fish market sending up baskets of fish from the holds of the boats to the docks where it is bought, stored in barrels and packed in ice for delivery to wholesalers, 1930s
#17 Dock stevedores at the Fulton fish market sending up baskets of fish from the holds of the boats, 1930s
#18 Dock Stevedores at the Fulton Fish Market, 1930s
#19 Dock Stevedores at the Fulton Fish Market, 1930s
#20 York, New York. A Fulton fish market stevedore, 1940s
#21 Dock stevedores at the Fulton fish market sending up baskets of fish from the holds of the boats to the docks, 1930s
#22 Dock stevedores at the Fulton fish market sending up baskets of fish from the holds of the boats to the docks where it is bought, 1930s
#23 Dock stevedores at the Fulton fish market sending up baskets of fish from the holds of the boats, 1930s
#24 Fulton Fish Market, 1930s
#25 Dock stevedores at the Fulton fish market sending up baskets of fish from the holds of the boats, 1920s
#26 Stevedores at the Fulton fish market unloading fish from boats caught off, 1920s
#27 Dock stevedores at the Fulton fish market sending up baskets of fish from the holds of the boats to the docks, 1920s
#28 Dock stevedore at the Fulton fish market holding giant lobster claws. Artist Gordon Parks, 1930s
#29 Dock worker at the Fulton fish market loading fish that have been caught in Gloucester, 1930s
#30 Fulton Fish Market, New York City, 1920s
#31 Fulton fish market seller, 1937
#32 A large lobster brought in by the New England fishing boat [Fulton Fish Market], 1938
![A Large Lobster Brought In By The New England Fishing Boat [Fulton Fish Market], 1938](https://seeoldnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Fulton_Fish_Market_1900s_to_1960s_28.jpg)
#33 Baskets of seafood at the Fulton fish market, 1938
#34 Shipping fish by horse-drawn vehicle from Fulton fish market, 1937
#35 A scene at the Fulton fish market, 1920s
#36 Box of fish at the Fulton fish market waiting to be iced, 1930s
#37 A scene at the Fulton fish market, 1934
#38 A hoister unloading fish at the Fulton fish market, 1934
#39 A hoister unloading fish at Fulton fish market, 1934
#40 A scene at the Fulton fish market, 1934
#41 Fisherman holding a large catch at the Fulton fish market, 1934
#42 A scene at Fulton’s fish market, 1934
#43 Loading boxes of fish to be shipped to hotels and restaurants at the Fulton fish market, 1934
#44 Watering fish at the Fulton fish market with brine water, 1934
#45 Watering fish at the Fulton fish market with brine water, 1934
#46 Many of the Fulton Fish Market men are in the Armed Forces, 1934
#47 Icing the hold of a ship at the Fulton fish market, 1930s
#48 Icing the hold of a ship at the Fulton fish market, 1930s
#49 New England fisherman aboard their ship at Fulton fish market, 1930s
#50 Policeman Directing Traffic at Fulton Fish Market, 1927
#51 Fulton Street Fish Market, showing some of the fishing boats, and beyond, the spires of Manhattan, 1920s
#52 Fishers unload barrels of seafood onto the wharf to be sold at the Fulton Fish Market, 1910s
#53 Fulton Fish Market, New York, New York, 1895.
#54 Seagulls feeding on scraps at the old Fulton Fish Market in the Bronx, New York City, 1978.
#55 Pedestrians at the Fulton Street Fish Market look as if they need a bridge after heavy wind whipped rains hit the metropolitan area, 1930s
#56 New York City, Fulton fish market, shop T. W. Mitchell Co, 1930s
#57 Fulton fish market, shop T. W. Mitchell Co., men closing wooden boxes, 1934
#58 Man Preparing Fish at the Market, 1940s
Making Bid for "Stardom". Usually cast in a supporting role, Phil Fish has entered the race for star billing, what with the average retail price of all cuts of choice grade beef reaching a record $1.30 per pound last month. Phil's star category bid may be affected by Pres. Nixon's announcement, clamping a ceiling price on beef, pork, and lamb. Phil's shown here during early-morning makeup and weighin at the Fulton Fish Market in lower Manhattan.
#59 A view of the Fulton Fish Market, 1965 in South Street Seaport, Lower Manhattan, New York City.
#60 A view of the Fulton Fish Market, 1965
#61 A view of the Fulton Fish Market, 1965
#62 A view of the Fulton Fish Market, 1965
#63 A view of the Fulton Fish Market, 1965
#64 A view of the Fulton Fish Market, 1965
#65 A view of the Fulton Fish Market, 1965
#66 A view of the Fulton Fish Market, 1965
#67 Robert F. Kennedy Holding Large Fish, 1960s
#68 View of Meyer Litman & Co eggs and poultry section, located at 953 West Fulton Market, 1955
#69 Workers unloading fish at Fulton Fish Market in New York City, 1955.
#70 Workers at dock of Fulton Fish Market in New York City, 1955.
#71 Fish being unloaded at Fulton Fish Market in New York City, 1955.
#72 Men sitting on pier near Fulton Fish Market in New York City, 1955.
#73 Workers at Fulton Fish Market in New York City, 1955.
#74 The Fulton Fish Market in New York City, 1910s
#75 Unloading haddock from the John G Murley ship at Fulton Fish Market, New York, US, 30th July 1953.
#76 Workers at shipping piers, including number 16 (right), on South Street near the Fulton Fish Market, New York City, 5th July 1953.
#77 Scenes in Fulton Fish Market, New York City, 1953.
#78 Fulton Fish Market fishmongers at work in the early hours of the morning, New York, 1949.
#79 Fish and other seafood is loaded into trucks at the Fulton Fish Market for delivery to retail stores throughtout the city, 1946
#80 our boys, three with popsicles, stand in front of a nautical supply shop (the Peerless Equipment Company, at 189 South Street) in the Fulton Fish Market, 1946.
#81 View of the Fulton Fish Market wharf with the Manhattan skyline in the background, New York City, 1946.
#82 Man smokes a cigar while standing next to a World War II sign at the Fulton fish market, New York City, 1943
#83 Activity in the Fulton Fish Market, 1943
#84 The dock at the Fulton Fish Market where New England fishing boats unload their cargo, May 1943.
#85 Dockers packing and icing fish at the Fulton Fish Market in New York City, 1943
#86 Barrels and Crates of Fish, Fulton Fish Market, New York City, 1943
#87 Dock Stevedore Moving Barrel of Codfish, Fulton Fish Market, New York City, 1943
#88 Fish for sale in barrels at the Fulton Fish Market, New York City, 1943
#89 A group of men in coats and caps eat and drink as they sit at the bar in an establishment frequented by fisherman in the Fulton Fish Market area of downtown Manhattan, 1943
#90 Fishmongers sorting out shrimps in crates at New York’s famous Fulton Fish Market, 23rd December 1941.
#91 New York’s famous Fulton Fish Market was known no scarcity of fish even with the war going on, 1940s
#92 Unloading fish at Fulton Fish Market in the Bronx, New York City, 6th June 1940.
#93 Fish delivery at Fulton Fish Market in the Bronx, New York City, 1940.
#94 Morning in the Fluton Fish market, 1940s
#95 Hot Dog Stand at Fulton Fish Market, 1940s
#96 Fishermen at Fulton Fish Market, 1940s
#97 Lobster Fisherman at Fulton Fish Market, 1940s
#98 Iced up fishing vessels berthed at Fulton Street fish market, 1940s
#99 Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia speaking at the opening of the Fulton Fish Market, at Bleecker and South Sts, 1940s
#100 Midtown Skyscrapers seen through Fluton Fish Market, 1930s
#101 Overview of the Fulton Fish Market on South Street, from where the fish are taken to the nearby wholesalers, New York, 1938.
#102 Fishermen at Fulton Fish Market, 1938
#103 Handlers at Fulton Fishmarket, 1935
#104 The Fulton Street Fish Market, New York City, 1935.
#105 View of the East River docks, New York, New York, 1930s. The masts of several docked fishing boats are visible at left.
#106 A view of men working behind stacks of wooden crates and barrels at the Fulton Street Fish Market in downtown Manhattan, New York City, 1920s
#107 Fish stand from balcony, 1920s
#108 A glimpse of the Fulton Fish Market, located in the Bronx, 1940s
#109 The fish market near Fulton and South Streets, 1930
#110 The fish market near Fulton and South Streets, Lower Manhattan, 1930
#111 Fulton Fish Market, New York City, 1930.
#112 en congregate around bushels and sacks of fruits and vegetables at the Fulton Street Market as a workers stack and unload crates from a truck, 1930s.
#113 South Street from Fulton Fish Market, looking southwest, New York City, 1929.
#114 Workers show off a giant 750-pound sturgeon caught off of the coast of Virginia at the Fulton Fish Market, 1925
#115 A view of a group of automobiles and wagons parked in the snow at the Fulton Street Fish Market, in downtown Manhattan, New York City. 1920s
#116 Fishmongers at work at the Fulton Fish Market in Lower Manhattan, New York City, 1924
#117 Fulton Fish Market, 1924
#118 Fisherman holding a fish at the Fulton Fish Market. New York City, 1943.
#119 Interior with Employee Working in Fulton Fish Market, 1940s
Traffic is heavy at shipping piers such as No. 16 (right), on South Street. To its right is the famed Fulton Fish Market, whose operations clog traffic every weekday morning. The South Street Elevated Highway will separate through traffic from the congestion pictured above. Brooklyn Bridge is in background.
#120 New York City, foggy morning at Fulton fish market, 1930s
#121 City Sanitation Workman Washing Streets at Fulton Fish Market
#122 Dock Stevedores Packing And Icing Fish a the Fulton Fish Market
#123 Push Cart Fruit Vendor at the Fulton Fish Market, 1930s
#124 Dock Stevedores Packing And Icing Fish At The Fulton Fish Market
#125 A “seller” shovelling redfish onto the scales in the Fulton fish market. Artist Gordon Parks.
#126 Ice which is used to store fish on boats that bring their catches into Fulton fish market
#127 Gloucester fishermen resting in their bunks after unloading their catch at the Fulton fish market.
#128 A Fulton fish market stevedore
#129 Fulton fish market stevedores.
#130 Filling a barrel with codfish at the Fulton fish market
#131 Unloading fish from the hold of a New England fishing boat at the Fulton market.
#132 Fulton fish market dock stevedores unloading and weighing fish in the early morning.
#133 Dock stevedore at the Fulton fish market moving a barrel of codfish. A
#134 Barrels of fish on the docks at Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers.
#135 Barrels for loading fish at the Fulton fish market.
#136 A scene in the Fulton fish market.
#137 The New England fishing boat, the Catherine C, docked at the Fulton fish market.
#138 Dock stevedore at the Fulton fish market.
#139 Packing fish in barrels at the Fulton fish market, 1930s
#140 Fulton fish market dock stevedores unloading and weighing fish in the early morning, 1930s
#141 Fulton fish market dock stevedores unloading and weighing fish in the early morning, 1930s
#142 A scene at the Fulton fish market showing the dock where New England fishing boats unload their cargo.
#143 Fulton fish market dock stevedores unloading and weighing fish in the early morning.
#144 Fulton fish market stevedores unloading and weighing fish in the early morning.
#145 Barrels of fish on the docks at Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers.
#146 Barrels of fish on the docks at Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers.
#147 Barrels of fish on the docks at Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers.
#148 Barrels of fish on the docks at Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers.
#149 New England fishermen unloading fish at the Fulton fish market.
#150 Fulton fish market dock stevedores with lobsters caught in the New England fishing waters.
#151 Icing barrels of fish at the Fulton fish market.
#152 Unloading and packing fish at the Fulton fish market.
#153 New England fishermen unloading fish at Fulton fish market.
#154 Barrels of fish on the docks at the Fulton fish market ready to be shipped to retailers.
#155 Late evening scene at the Fulton fish market.
#156 Fish being weighed at the Fulton Fish Market, before being shipped to the retail markets, 1920s
#157 Exterior View of the Early Fulton Fish Market, 1953
Traffic is heavy at shipping piers such as No. 16 (right), on South Street. To its right is the famed Fulton Fish Market, whose operations clog traffic every weekday morning. The South Street Elevated Highway will separate through traffic from the congestion pictured above. Brooklyn Bridge is in background.
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