Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Shop

Here follows the inscription written on this roadside historical marker:

Founded in 1792, the Stabler Leadbeater pharmacy operated on this site for 141 years serving many early patriots. The shop is a unique reminder of the period when manufacturing, wholesaling, and dispensing of medicines were combined as a single enterprise of pharmacists in urban centers.

Erected 1992 by the American Institute of the History of Pharmacy.


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Regarding Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary:
The pharmacy operated until 1933.

Pharmacy Request from Mrs. Martha Washington:
This request directed to Edward Stabler on behalf of Martha Washington reads: “Mrs. Washington desires Mr. Stabler will send by the bearer, a quart bottle of his best castor oil, and the bill for it. Mount Vernon, April 22nd, 1802.” Mrs. Washington was in failing health at the time of this request and passed away several weeks later on May 22, 1802. —Apothecary Museum Collection

Proprietors' Names Listed on Back Wall:
1792—Edward Stabler; 1826—E. Stabler & Son; 1831—William Stabler; 1840—Wm. Stabler & Co.; 1844—W. Stabler & Bro.; 1852—John Leadbeater; 1857—J. Leadbeater & Son; 1860—Leadbeater & Co.

The pharmacy occupies two adjacent buildings (in yellow trim) at 105 and 107 South Fairfax Street less than three blocks from the waterfront in Old-Town Alexandria.


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Here follows an excerpt from the Atlas Obscura website:

Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
Alexandria, Virginia
An original apothecary from 1792.

The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary was a family business founded in 1792 by Edward Stabler. It operated continuously on this spot until 1933, when competition from synthetic drug companies and new food & drug regulations finally caused the business to go bankrupt. After the apothecary closed in 1933, it reopened as a museum in 1939. The bottles and instruments on display, along with their contents, are the originals from when the store closed, offering a snapshot of the operation of America’s oldest apothecary.

Having apprenticed under his brother in Leesburg, Virginia, Edward Stabler came to Alexandria to start his own apothecary in 1792. Quickly establishing himself, Edward sold to a range of people both in the city and in the surrounding area - on display in the museum are company ledgers showing purchases from Robert E. Lee and Martha Washington, to name two famous examples. Besides medicines, Stabler sold items such as farm and garden equipment, surgical and dental instruments, soap, perfume, cigars, paint, varnish, artist’s supplies, combs, brushes, and other useful items.

Much of the medicine was produced on-site in the upstairs workshop. At the height of the business in 1865, the apothecary owned 11 buildings and warehouses throughout the city and supplied nearly 500 pharmacies in the Washington, DC area. The apothecary remained a family affair, passing from Edward to his son, William, and then eventually to William’s brother-in-law John Leadbeater, who added his name to the business.

Eventually facing competition from synthetic drug companies, new food & drug regulations, and the economic downturn, the apothecary went bankrupt and was forced to close its doors in 1933. Recognizing the historic significance of the site, however, the site and its contents were purchased at auction by L. Manuel Hendler, a Baltimore ice cream merchant. The Landmarks Society of Alexandria was formed and the re-opened the site as a museum in 1939. The containers, bottles, and ingredients on display are the same ones that were in the apothecary when it closed, offering a unique snapshot in the life of an apothecary shop. Given the 141-year history of the shop, spanning the first days of the nation to the years between the world wars, the unique artifacts on display provide an important window to history.

Know Before You Go
The museum is one mile from the King Street Metro station and is accessible by bus. There is easy street parking in downtown Alexandria along with plentiful parking garages. The site is three blocks from the Torpedo Factory Art Center, so these two sites can easily be seen together. Tours at the museum occur every half hour at 15 minutes past and 15 minutes until the hour.


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Here follows an excerpt from the Clio Foundation website about the apothecary shop and museum as written by Daniel Newcomer:

Introduction:
The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum is a small, 1900 museum boasting a vast collection of botanicals, handblown glass, medical equipment, and more. Located in Old Town Alexandria, the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary was opened in 1792 by Quaker pharmacist Edward Stabler, and throughout many of the major historical events in US history, from the War of 1812 up until 1933, the Apothecary withstood and remained the center of daily life in Alexandria. Some of its famous customers included George and Marsha Washington and Robert E. Lee. Nowadays, the small museum on South Fairfax Street holds more than 8,000 objects, exploring not only the history of the apothecary practice but also the life and history of Alexandria. In fact, many original furnishings as well as patent medicines, potions, and herbs still remain in place.

Backstory and Context:
The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary shop dates back to Edward Stable’s arrival to Alexandria, VA around 1792. Fresh from an apprenticeship as an apothecary in Leesburg, Stable found a place to rent in central Alexandria and started his business in 1796. As a devout Quaker and a savvy businessman, Stable’s apothecary became very popular, and during his career, he sold his medicines to figures such as Martha Washington and Robert E. Lee. Stable kept the business in his family and included his son-in-law, John Leadbeater. By 1852, John Leadbeater bought the apothecary.

During the Civil War, Union troops occupied Alexandria and the apothecary flourished. The war brought so much favor to Leadbeater’s shop that, after the war, John Leadbeater’s son was selling to 500 pharmacies throughout Washington DC, running a mail order business, and operating from 11 buildings in Alexandria. Unfortunately, by 1933, the apothecary declared bankruptcy and concerned citizens and the American Pharmaceutical Association arranged the purchase of the apothecary’s collections, contents, and archives for private buyers; the purchased contents were donated to the Landmarks Society of Alexandria, who sold the collections and the museum to the City of Alexandria in 2006.


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Here follows an excerpt from the "Jaybird's Jottings" blog written by Jay Roberts:

Old Town Alexandria Historical Plaques: Apothecary Museum
Today in Old Town, if you need medicine or sundry items, you head for CVS. In the 19th Century, the sick and ill knew one place, the Apothecary on South Fairfax. Edward Stabler founded this pharmacy in 1792. The family run shop and store served Alexandria, Washington and the region from 1796 to 1893, making it one of the city’s oldest continuously run business.

The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum “offers a look at this unique family enterprise and the life of the Apothecary’s employees and customers.”

Tours of the Museum are available.