For the third consecutive year, museums across the City of Alexandria will be celebrating Museum Shop Sunday. This year's event will take place on December 1 with participating museums in Alexandria having special giveaways and discounts for holiday shoppers. Continue reading
The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum was established in 1939 after the bankruptcy of the family business The Stabler Leadbeater Apothecary. The museum is located at the original site of the family business at 105-107 S. Fairfax Street in Old Town Alexandria. The family business was founded in 1792 by Edward Stabler who operated at the location until 1933 when competition and new regulations forced the company into bankruptcy. After the bankruptcy the Landmarks Society of Alexandria acquired the property and turned it into a museum for the preservation of the items which were used during the business. Continue reading
Stabler Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum was opened by a Quaker pharmacist Edward Stabler in 1792 and is one of the oldest pharmacies in the country. Located on 105-107 South Fairfax Street Alexandria, Virginia in the heart of Old Town Alexandria.
In addition to being a pharmacist, Stabler was dedicated to the abolition of slavery and the expansion of educational opportunities. Among other accomplishments, Stabler purchased many slaves for the express purpose of granting their freedom. Edward Stabler died in 1831, but his son continued to run the business for many years after.
This particular building served and survived through many important events in United States history such as the War of 1812. The pharmacy was of great importance during the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1821. During the Civil War the apothecary furnished medicines for the Union. The pharmacy also served during the Spanish-American War of 1898, and World War I.
Finally, in 1933 the shop closed due to the Great Depression. At that time the contents of the shop were sold, and the money that was raised was used to preserve the property as a museum. In 1939 the shop re-opened as a museum and 43 years later Stabler Leadbeater Apothecary Museum was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
With over 8,000 objects-- gold-leaf labels, hand-blown medicine bottles, pill rollers, show-globes, mortars & pestles-- the museum provides visitors with a wide, fantastic collection. The first floor is in the Gothic Revival style from 1835. On the second floor names of herbs and medicine are in their original hand writing placed on the walls and shelving of the interior. The Apothecary is home to many important artifacts, journals, receipts, ledgers, and invoices, and also include many historical figures names in documents, Martha Washington, James Monroe, and Robert E. Lee.The purpose of the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum is to promote the history and educate people about the values of Edward Stabler. More importantly, the museum promotes a better knowledge of historic public health issues of the past. It was a center of daily life in Old Town Alexandria, and as a museum the apothecary is still having an positive impact today.
This museum is just one of the many features that make Old Town an attractive destination for tourists and a highly prized location for residents. Parking can be a hassle in Old Town, but the problem can be avoided by taking the Metro and the King St. Free Trolley, which stops near the museum.
The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum was established in 1939 after the bankruptcy of the family business The Stabler Leadbeater Apothecary. The museum is located at the original site of the family business at 105-107 S. Fairfax Street in Old Town Alexandria. The family business was founded in 1792 by Edward Stabler who operated at the location until 1933 when competition and new regulations forced the company into bankruptcy. After the bankruptcy the Landmarks Society of Alexandria acquired the property and turned it into a museum for the preservation of the items which were used during the business. Continue reading
