The Meat Market

On the corner of Dead Man's Alley and Washington Street is the Meat Market. The Meat Market building served as a butcher shop for most of its long history. To feed residents of the town, butcher shops like this one cut and sold meat from nearby slaughterhouses that purchased beef from ranches in the area.

Because this was before refrigeration, ice was gathered in the winter from ponds created by damming parts of Jordon Creek. Ice was stored under the building and used to preserve the meat. Covering the ice with sawdust slowed the melting.

Valentine Blackinger was the most well-known butcher in the area, starting the first butcher shop in Ruby City in 1863 and later moved to this location.