50th Anniversary of Passage of Citizens’ Initiative
“Let’s Keep the Market – the Work Continues!”

On November 2, 1971, Seattle voters overwhelmingly approved the “Keep the Market” public initiative that saved the Pike Place Market from certain destruction. The passage of the citizens’ initiative – fifty years ago – not only protected our public market, but it also ensured the ‘the soul of Seattle’ would be saved in a way that preserved its character and its traditional community of elderly and low-income residents, food vendors, farmers, craftspeople, and small independent businesses.

Against great odds, true grass roots efforts and determined volun