Peek Inside a 1790s Pharmacist’s Daybook at Alexandria’s Free Apothecary Open House
Rarely displayed pharmacy records go on view Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum.
ALEXANDRIA, VA — A pharmacist’s daybook from the 1790s and a prescription and account book from the 1860s will give visitors a rare look at the working life of an Old Town pharmacy on Sunday, Nov. 8. The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum will offer free tours from 1 to 5 p.m. to celebrate 20 years as a city-owned museum.
The two volumes are seldom displayed and are slated for future conservation. The daybook belonged to Edward Stabler, whose pharmacy began operating in 1792. The family business remained open until 1933.
When the pharmacy closed, community members bought the building and its contents. They formed the Landmarks Society, now the Mortar and Pestle Society, and opened the site as a museum in 1939. After a renovation, the society donated the museum and its collection to Alexandria in November 2006.
If you go
The free open house runs from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, at 105–107 S. Fairfax St. Guides will be stationed throughout the museum. See the Historic Alexandria announcement for details.
