The city of Baltimore currently has six public markets across the city. The Baltimore Public Market System is the oldest continuously operating public market system in the United States.^[1] Today, the markets are administered by the Baltimore Public Market Corporation, which was established in 1995 as a non-profit organization.^[2]

In 1751, twenty years after the founding of Baltimore Town, the first public market house was introduced.^[3] Twelve years later, the first market was constructed. At the peak of their operation, there were eleven markets across the city.^[4] Responsibility for the markets interchanged to the Baltimore Comptroller's Office in 1857, and then transferred again to the Mayor's Office in 1983.^[5]