By CINDY LADAGE
Illinois Correspondent

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — When thinking of Los Angeles and Hollywood, most people are put in mind of the “Hollywood” sign, the Walk of Fame and, of course, the movies.

But one of the mainstays is the Original Farmers’ Market, which has been part of the L.A. scene since 1934. The market began in July that year when a group of farmers pulled their trucks onto an expanse of empty land at the property called Gilmore Island, located at the corner of Third and Fairfax, and shared their produce, just like a tailgate party of today.

The market was popular and the farmers quickly gathered customers. According to the history section of the Original Farmers Market website, “customers quickly arrived and parked their cars on a hastily created dirt parking lot in spaces designated with chalk. They strolled among the trucks purchasing fruit, vegetables and flowers.

“The atmosphere was casual, the open air commerce enticing, the goods fresh and the result remarkable. Farmers’ Market became an instant institution.”

The area they called Gilmore Island was so named because this is an area Los Angeles grew around. It all began when Midwesterner Arthur Fremont Gilmore moved to California from Millersburg, Ill., in 1870. The website shares, “With a partner, Gilmore purchased two ranches in the Los Angeles vicinity. The purchase inaugurated a string of serendipitous events which not even the far-sighted Gilmore could predict.

“When Gilmore and his partner elected to dissolve their arrangement, they drew straws – Gilmore’s straw secured 256 acres on which he created a successful dairy farm. A.F. Gilmore had no plans for a world-renowned institution when he moved to Los Angeles from Illinois in 1870. Rather, he was seeking a better life on the promising West Coast.

“When he married Mary Elizabeth Bell in 1882, the small adobe on the property became the new home for his family. At the turn of the century, while drilling for water for his herd of dairy cows, A.F. Gilmore hit oil. By 1905, the dairy was gone and the Gilmore Oil Co. was born.”

The Gilmore family expanded the area into an entertainment arena with a stadium where racing, football, wrestling and other entertainment occurred. The family also constructed Gilmore Field, a baseball field, as well as promoting the oil company which put their gas stations on the map.

Two entrepreneurs – Roger Dahlhjelm, a businessman, and Fred Beck – came up with the idea of a “Village Square” where artisans would sell handmade goods.

The idea took and stalls were created, surrounding a central marketplace where farmers sold their wares. In 1941, a clock tower was added to the distinctive architecture.  A section called “The Grove” was added and shops and restaurants expanded the attraction of the area.

The farmers’ market has become a meeting place where locals and tourists come to eat, buy and see entertainment. The market is part of many established “Hollywood” tours and the phrase “Meet me at Third and Fairfax” is still common in L.A.

For information about this delightful stop, check out the website at www.farmersmarketla.com or call 323-933-9211. The Original Farmers’ Market is located at: 6333 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90036.