Ricketts Drug Store


Company Names, addresses, dates:
   L.S. Ricketts, Orange VA
  Ricketts Drug Store, Orange VA

Notes:
 Lawrence Sanford Ricketts (1867-1956)1 was a druggist and businessman in Orange VA. Besides his drug store business, he founded the National Bank of Orange in 1892, and was associated with that bank for 56 years, serving as it's president from 1937 until 1948, when he retired. He was a native of Orange and a graduate of the Maryland School of Pharmacy1.
His Obituary says he was the Owner of Ricketts drug store from 1833-1935. The '1833' is obviously a misprint, as he wasn't even born then - my guess is that maybe they meant to say "1893"?
An advertisement in the 1934 Richmond Times Dispatch newspaper said that Ricketts Drug Store was the oldest drug store in Orange County, but it also says it was established in 19082. I found references to Rickett's drug store in newspapers prior to that year, so I suspect that is referring to the date that the original drug store building burnt down, which was 19083. Presumably Ricketts replaced the building with a new drug store at that time.

Bottles:
ricketts_08 This is a clear, 3.6" tall (1 oz) bottle embossed:
vertical: L.S.RICKETTS / DRUGIST / ORANGE, VA
ricketts_11 This is a clear, 3.6" tall (1 oz) bottle embossed:
vertical: L.S.RICKETTS / DRUGIST / ORANGE, VA
ricketts_01 These are clear bottles that are embossed the same except for the number of ounces on the back. The left one is 6.7" (8 oz) and the right one is 4.3" (2 oz). They are embossed:
vertical: Ricketts / DRUG STORE / ORANGE, VA
backside: 2 (or 8) OZ
ricketts_10 These are the same as the ones above, except they are different sizes and they have nothing embossed on the back. In fact, the 5.7" tall one has 3 smudges on the back, as if the embossing had been peened out. It holds about 4.5 ounces, so I wonder if it was supposed to hold 5 ounces but came out smaller than expected? In any case, the left one is 5.7" tall (4.5 oz) and the right one is 5" tall (3 oz), and they are both embossed:
vertical: Ricketts / DRUG STORE / ORANGE, VA
ricketts_07 This is a 2.25" milk-glass bottle with a screw-on plastic lid, which holds a white cream inside. It has a label that has a 1942 date on it:
label: RICKETTS DRUG STORE / E.H. ROUSE / ORANGE Phone Dial 2021 VIRGINIA / No. 107343 ??-3-42 / apply after soaking / Joan Tappy
ricketts_06 This is a 2.75" clear machine-made bottle with a metal screw-cap that has an eye-dropper built into it. It has a label with a 1955 date on it:
label: RICKETTS / DRUG STORE / ORANGE VIRGINIA / PURITY ACCURACY / TELEPHONE 2021 REG. NO. 4834 / No ?73145 Dr. Miller / Sammy Higgenbottom 2-8-55 / Put 3 drops in each nos- / tril 4 times daily / PRESCRIPTION SPECIALISTS


Other stuff:
ricketts_03 This is a post card that says:
top left: Ricketts' Building. ORANGE, Va.
bottom left: PUBL. BY / L.S.RICKETTS / DRUGGIST
I saw another postcard on ebay that depicted this same building (at 101 E Main Street), but on the side it had a sign that said "Ricketts Rexall", so presumably it housed Ricketts drug store.
This building as destroyed in a fire in 19083.
ricketts_13 This is a post card shows the same building as the one above, but from a different angle. It says:
top right: Main Street, looking East. Orange, VA.
bottom left: PUBL. BY / L.S.RICKETTS / DRUGGIST
bottom right: HAND COLORED
ricketts_14 This is a a view of the same location from October 2021. The building has been replaced but the statue is still present.
ricketts_04 This is a photo (taken Nov 2010) of 112 E Main Street. According to the walking tour of downtown Orange4, this building was once Ricketts Drug store. It's across the street from the building above. I suspect that Ricketts moved his drug store here after the building depicted above burned down in 1908.
ricketts_12 This is a reproduction post card that depicts the interior of Rickett's drug store. It says:
bottom left: PUBL. BY / L.S.RICKETTS / DRUGGIST
bottom middle: Interior View, Ricketts' Drug Store, ORANGE, Va.


1 Obituary, Richmond Times Dispatch newspaper, Nov 21, 1956, p.13
2 Richmond Times Dispatch newspaper ad, Sep 28, 1934, page 28
3 National Register of Historic Places, document: #98001651
4 Brochure: "A Walking Tour of the Downtown Orange Commercial Historic District", published by the Orange Downtown Alliance


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This page last updated on July 16, 2026.