Shelburne in Chittenden County, Vermont — The American Northeast (New England)

Apothecary Shop

Constructed on-site: 1959

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 7, 2017

1. Apothecary Shop Marker

Inscription. The Apothecary Shop represents a late 19^th-century druggist's shop. Prior to the Civil War, druggists gathered and dried herbs, grinding, distilling, and mixing them with a variety of substances to create medicinal remedies. By 1900, druggists distributed commercially produced patent medicines to customers looking for cure-alls. The passage of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act marked the end of the local apothecary and the rise of the modern pharmacy.

The main room exhibits dried herbs, spices, patent medicines, medical equipment, cosmetics, and a collection of barbers' razors. The compounding room contains a hearth and copper distilling equipment.

Erected by the Shelburne Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Science & Medicine • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1900.

Location. 44° 22.599′ N, 73° 13.868′ W. Marker is in Shelburne, Vermont, in Chittenden County. It can be reached from Shelburne Road. Marker and building are on the Shelburne Museum grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6000 Shelburne Road (US Hwy 7), Shelburne VT 05482, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Champlain Valley

and in Greater Burlington.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in New England.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: General Store (here, next to this marker); Stencil House

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(within shouting distance of this marker); Prentis House (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Prentis House (within shouting distance of this marker); Meeting House (within shouting distance of this marker); Blacksmith Shop (within shouting distance of this marker); Vermont House Gallery (within shouting distance of this marker); Dutton House (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Shelburne.

Also see . . .
1. The Shelburne Museum Story. Museum website entry (Submitted on October 21, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

2. The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906). (Submitted on October 21, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)

Apothecary Shop and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., October 7, 2017

2. Apothecary Shop and Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on May 10, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 21, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 388 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 21, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.