As part of National Preservation Month, come out on May 20 at 10 a.m. to celebrate the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum being selected as a National Historic Landmark. Remarks will be made by Mayor Justin Wilson, representatives from Historic Alexandria, and the National Park Service. The event will conclude with the plaque unveiling.

Announced on January 13, 2021, the Secretary of the Interior designated 21 new and two updated National Historic Landmarks. These 23 historic sites illustrate important aspects of American history and represent a diverse array of historic periods, cultural groups, property types, and archeological sites from across the nation. The Apothecary Museum was nominated for its contributions to fields of business and science, within the theme of developing the American economy. As noted in the nomination, “The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Shop is nationally significant in the history of pharmacy in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, particularly the evolution of drug stores and the changing role of pharmacists.”

About the National Park Service (NPS): More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. National Historic Landmarks hold national significance and is a program of NPS. Today, there are almost 2,600 NHLs in the United States. 

About Historic Alexandria (OHA): The Office of Historic Alexandria preserves and shares the past to enrich the present and inspire the future. OHA shares these stories through museums and landscapes as well as tours, exhibitions, and a variety of public programs. Museums include the Alexandria Archaeology Museum, Alexandria Black History Museum, Alexandria’s History Museum at the Lyceum, Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, Freedom House Museum, Friendship Firehouse Museum, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, and the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum. Additional spaces including the African American Heritage Park, Archives and Records Center, Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery, Murray-Dick-Fawcett House, Lloyd House, and Union Station collectively tell the story of the City. Urban archaeology also plays an active role in uncovering and interpreting Alexandria’s history, recovering artifacts before they are lost to construction. OHA enhances the quality of life for City residents and visitors and is a partner in the City’s equity and inclusion initiatives. For more information about the Office of Historic Alexandria, visit alexandriava.gov/Historic.

 For inquiries from the news media only, contact Andrea Blackford, Editorial Communications Manager, at andrea.blackford@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3959.

For reasonable disability accommodation, please contact Nicole Quinn at nicole.quinn@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.4554.

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 This news release is available at alexandriava.gov/go/3596.