History

The Moore Square Art District is the arts mecca of downtown Raleigh. Surrounding Moore Square are over 30 memorable shops and retail stores, restaurants and nightlife locations, museums and art galleries. Its name arises from the urban park between Hargett, Blount, Martin and Person Streets, but Moore Square is much more than a park!

The neighborhood is rich with history. One of the two surviving four-acre parks from Raleigh's original 1792 plan, the wooded square was originally surrounded by a residental neighborhood. During the latter part of the 19th century, Moore Square gradually transformed into a decidedly commerical district. Larger store fronts appeared on nearby Davie and Martin Streets, displaying wares of merchants, grocers and artisans.

Agricultural enterprises also took hold, drawn by the construction of the Mission style City Market in 1914. New bank buildings and the nearby City Auditorium further nutured commercial activity. By the 1930's, the area was fully part of the city's business core. During the 1980's, the neighborhood was transformed into the Moore Square Art District.