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Yorktown in York County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Medical Shop (Reconstructed)

Historic Yorktown

— Colonial National Historical Park —

 
 
Medical Shop (Reconstructed) Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 26, 2021
1. Medical Shop (Reconstructed) Marker
Inscription.
Dr. Corbin Griffin was a prominent Yorktown physician active in the American Revolutionary War, serving as a surgeon with Virginia forces. During the siege of Yorktown, he was imprisoned by the British on a ship anchored in the York River. During his confinement, his "cellar Down the watter Side" was pilfered by sailors from the British sloop Bonneta while other British troops took items from his medical shop.

"I must…request that your Lordship will inform me of the Reason of Dr. Griffin's confinement on Board of one of your Prison Ships."
Governor Thomas Nelson, Jr. to General Charles Lord Cornwallis, September 25, 1781

 
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial EraScience & MedicineWar, US Revolutionary. A significant historical date for this entry is September 25, 1809.
 
Location. 37° 14.132′ N, 76° 30.512′ W. Marker is in Yorktown, Virginia, in York County. It is at the intersection of Main Street and Church Street, on the right when traveling west on Main Street. The marker relates to the nearby York County Historical
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Museum, Medical Branch. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 301 Main Street, Yorktown VA 23690, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on Virginia’s Peninsula, in Coastal Virginia, and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: West Along Main Street (within shouting distance of this marker); Swan Tavern (within shouting distance of this marker); East Along Main Street (within shouting distance of this marker); York County War Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); York Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); Somerwell House (within shouting
Medical Shop (Reconstructed) Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed by David Graff, September 20, 2014
2. Medical Shop (Reconstructed) Marker
This is a previous iteration of the marker. While the information is identical, some of the formatting is different.
distance of this marker); Two Mercenary Units (within shouting distance of this marker); Grace Church - circa 1697 (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Yorktown.
 
Regarding Medical Shop (Reconstructed). The marker includes a photograph of a similar medical shop captioned "A view of the 18th century medical office of Revolutionary War physician, Brigadier General Hugh Mercer. (Image courtesy of the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop, Fredericksburg, VA)"
 
The recreated Medical Shop with the marker in front image. Click for full size.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 26, 2021
3. The recreated Medical Shop with the marker in front
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on March 1, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 23, 2015, by David Graff of Halifax, Nova Scotia. This page has been viewed 1,130 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos:   1. submitted on March 1, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.   2. submitted on February 23, 2015, by David Graff of Halifax, Nova Scotia.   3. submitted on March 1, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
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Jul. 6, 2026