Market Towns

Another kind of town was the market town.

Market towns were common in the middle colonies.

Farmers traveled to market towns to trade their farm products. The farmer would grow grains, fruits, and vegetables. In the town he would trade them for goods he didn't grow or make.

To carry their produce to market towns, many farmers in Pennsylvania used a

very big covered wagon called a Conestoga.

In most market towns there was a general store. The general store sold imports, or goods brought into the colonies from other countries. Imported goods included tea, sugar, spices, cloth, shoes, stockings, and buttons.

Each market town also had a shop for the cobbler. The cobbler

made and repaired shoes. A blacksmith's shop was where iron was heated and pounded into shape. The iron was used to make horseshoes, hinges, and nails.

Most market towns had a gristmill. At the mill, grain like wheat or corn was ground into flour and meal. The sawmill

was where logs were sawed into lumber. Some lumber was used in the colony. Some lumber was also sent to Britain.

When market towns were along a river, farmers carried their produce to the

towns by boat, instead of wagon. Rivers were used as roads whenever possible.