Meet West Side Market Author Laura Taxel at Porter Library

Anyone who has visited the West Side Market knows it's one of Cleveland's greatest treasures.

With its origins dating back to 1840 the West Side Market, damaged by a fire earlier this year, but now fully opened, is Cleveland's oldest publicly owned market.

Laura Taxel, co-author of Cleveland’s West Side Market: 100 Years and Still Cooking will talk about the Market at Westlake Porter Public Library on Tuesday, March 19 at 7 p.m.

Taxel will talk about the two-year process of digging into historical records, interviewing people, and collecting the memories that come to life in the book. She’ll share facts and stories from the book as well as a few things that didn’t make it into print.

“The book is filled with old archival images and contemporary photos from my husband, the photographer Barney Taxel,” she said.

The book, co-written by Marilou Suszko took three years to complete. Taxel will be offering a PowerPoint presentation, discussing stories from the book and hosting a question and answer session. Attendees will be encouraged to share their personal memories.

“We collected loads of memories and stories and placed those throughout the book,” Taxel said.

During their research, Taxel and Suszko uncovered a host of interesting facts about the market.

“One of the more amusing and amazing things we uncovered was that the early plans (for the market) included a large public bath,” Taxel said. “At that time no one had running water. Everyone had to come and buy food, they might as well get clean while they were there.

“(The idea) was struck down, not because it was gross, but because of the cost.”

Taxel, who said she considers vendors “part of her family” makes a Market stop about once a week. She noted the Market re-opened after the recent fire on Feb. 18—her birthday.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing after the talk.

Taxel, who is also the author of Cleveland Ethnic Eats, has been writing about food and the people who prepare it for over three decades. Her writing has appeared in local, regional and national publications and websites, and she has guested on numerous radio and television shows.

To register for the event please call 440-250-5460 or visit the library’s online calendar at http://signup.wstlakelibrary.org.