First Monday Trade Days

First Monday Trade Days is a monthly flea market held in Canton, Texas.

It purports to be the largest and oldest continually operated flea market in the United States, and is a highly popular event in the area.

Since most of Van Zandt County was open range at that time, a state law required that all stray horses be brought into Canton and auctioned to the highest bidder.

With poor means of communication, people would wait until "First Monday" to come to Canton to see their relatives and friends, to make business arrangements, and to get the local news.

The townspeople began to look on the event with disdain, dreading the filth and confusion that cluttered their city.

They finally passed a city ordinance prohibiting trade in the streets, but to no avail; the law could not be enforced.

One homeowner, a woman who owned a double lot, began patrolling her property with a broom to keep the people off.

With the crowds growing larger and people coming in on Sunday, the Mayor and the City Council decided something had to be done.

Canton had not encouraged "First Monday" --- actually it had discouraged it --- but the custom had become entrenched into the culture of the people for over 100 years, and it looked as though it was there to stay.

Eventually Canton realized that it could benefit from the popularity of the market, and purchased a site dedicated to it.

The Original Pavilion I was constructed by Henry Lewis in 1988 to provide shoppers with a covered area for shopping regardless of weather conditions.

The site currently features various designated buildings and areas such as the Lewis Original Pavilions and Walkway By The Creek, Civic Center and Trade Centers (I, II, III, and IV), Canton Marketplace, Old Mill Marketplace, The Village, The Mountain, The Arbors, and The Dog Alley.

Located at the beginning of the Trade Days market area on Highway 19, Canton Marketplace is a climate-controlled indoor pavilion housing over 300 vendors, most of whom are year-round regulars.

Offering slightly more upscale items than the rest of the grounds, this pavilion includes a food court.

As of Spring 2014, a 10' x 20' or 14' x 14' booth inside one of the main (buildings 2, 3 and 4) costs approx $200 per weekend (Wednesday afternoon/Thursday morning setup to end-of-show Sunday).

It's a first-come-first-served setup in these sections, with vendors arriving early to secure choice shady spots.

While the majority of items are old, there are bargains to be found in current categories like computer and office supplies, tools, yard art, furniture, and toys.

However, finding such gems has become somewhat more challenging due to the rise of online platforms like eBay and the increased knowledge of collectors and sellers.

Despite the large size of the facility, people with disabilities will find easy access, and can even rent a scooter to get around the market area with ease.

They now make more from charging drivers to park on their lot for the 4 days of the event than they ever did from farming the same land.

Incidents On Friday, May 2, 2008, Canton and First Monday Trade Days were hit by a tornado, that damaged signs, chimneys, vendor's goods, and uprooted several large trees.