▁constructed ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁to ▁provide ▁local ▁vend ors ▁and ▁ha w k ers ▁with ▁an ▁allocated ▁space ▁to ▁sell ▁their ▁har v ested ▁cro ps ▁and ▁cook ed ▁food . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁before ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁major ▁develop ments ▁in ▁Bal est ier ▁Road , ▁the ▁open ▁market ▁was ▁known ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁b ust ling ▁site ▁despite ▁being ▁located ▁a ▁distance ▁from ▁other ▁more ▁prominent ▁land marks ▁and ▁streets . ▁Later , ▁rows ▁of ▁small ▁h uts ▁with ▁a ▁pitch ed ▁z inc ▁roof ▁were ▁added ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁to ▁shelter ▁users ▁from ▁the ▁frequent ▁rain ▁and ▁the ▁sun . ▁The ▁market ▁then ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁food ▁r ation ▁distribution ▁centre , ▁in ▁the ▁mid ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁ 2 . ▁Bal est ier ▁Market ▁is ▁now ▁the ▁only ▁' r ural ' ▁market ▁conser ved ▁and ▁in ▁operation ▁in ▁Singapore . ▁ ▁Tim eline ▁of ▁events ▁in ▁Bal est ier ▁Market ▁and ▁surr ound ings ▁▁ 1 8 3 0 s ▁– ▁Est ab lish ment ▁of ▁Bal est ier ▁Plant ation ▁by ▁Joseph ▁Bal est ier ▁▁▁ 1 8 4 9 ▁– ▁Bal est ier ▁and ▁his ▁family ▁le ased ▁a ▁large ▁plant ation ▁outside ▁town ▁ ▁The ▁early ▁ 1 8 9 0 s ▁– ▁Est ab lish ment ▁of ▁T aro , ▁l ime ▁and ▁sugar ▁can e ▁plant ations ▁ ▁The ▁ 1 9 2 0