Pharmacy

The Story of Lancaster’s Pharmacies

A Journey Through Pills, Powwowers, and the People Behind the Prescription

Step into the wooden pharmacy cabinet at the heart of the Lancaster Medical Heritage Museum and uncover the often-overlooked story of the pharmacist—an essential figure in the history of medicine. Lined with ornate apothecary jars, brass scales, brightly colored pills, and once-common (and sometimes dangerous) substances, this exhibit invites visitors to explore the evolution of pharmaceutical care in Lancaster County and beyond.

Pharmacists: Physicians, Pill Makers, and Community Healers
In early America—especially in the colonial and frontier periods—pharmacists served as de facto physicians in communities where trained doctors were scarce. From pulling teeth to crafting prescriptions, they provided essential services at an accessible price. In Lancaster County, pharmacies not only offered care, they also shaped culture, commerce, and trust within neighborhoods.

Who Really Had the Oldest Pharmacy?
Lancaster boasts a uniquely rich pharmaceutical past, with local businesses proudly vying for the title of “Oldest Pharmacy in the County.” This exhibit delves into the curious legacy of Frederick Otto and the surprising transformation of his pharmacy’s historic site into a modern-day public restroom—just one of many stories where memory meets medicine.

Folk Healers and Powwowers
Not all early pharmacists learned their trade from textbooks. Pennsylvania’s Powwowers, folk healers of German descent, brought with them centuries-old herbal remedies and superstitions. With pocket-sized spell books and knowledge of botanical cures, they offered an alternative kind of medicine, often treating everything from colds to curses. Their presence in Lancaster County highlights the diverse cultural roots of American healing traditions.

A Doctor in the Advertisements
Pharmacy wasn’t just practiced—it was marketed. Through original ads drawn from Lancaster’s past, the exhibit explores the colorful and sometimes shocking world of medical advertising. Visitors will encounter a display of historical remedies once sold over the counter: cocaine-laced cough syrup, morphine mixtures for children, sawdust-and-red-pepper liver pads, and electric corsets marketed as cures for “nervous conditions.” These artifacts show how public trust in medicine was shaped, not just by science, but by suggestion.

Innovation in the Aisles
From the invention of the pill press to the rise of the soda fountain, pharmacies were hotbeds of innovation. This exhibit highlights how Lancaster’s pharmacists contributed to the larger story of American medicine—and how their legacy lives on in today’s pharmaceutical industry.