The Merrill Block: An Exeter Apothecary
The Merrill Block on Water Street preserves a chapter of Exeter’s history shaped by local enterprise, medicine and everyday commerce. Dating to the early 1870s, the substantial brick building is recognized in the town’s Waterfront Commercial Historic District nomination as one of its outstanding commercial buildings. Its name remains prominently displayed above the street.
The building’s story is closely associated with Dr. Charles Merrill. In 1848, Merrill and his brother purchased a general store and began specializing in medicines. Their successful business eventually supported the construction of the Merrill Block. In November 1874, the Exeter News-Letter described preparations for an elaborate new drugstore in the building’s western storefront, praising its appearance and convenience. Merrill opened the establishment in 1875.
Ownership changed as the business continued serving Exeter. Edward Cram purchased the drugstore in 1886 and employed William Seward as manager. In 1893, Seward joined Albert Weeks to establish Weeks & Seward’s Drugstore. The business combined pharmacy services with a soda fountain, and electricity arrived in 1919. After Seward retired in 1944, longtime employee Horace Grant purchased the store and renamed it Grant Drugs.
Other businesses occupied the upper floors. In 1903, Junius A. Jackson, a Black businessman who had moved to Exeter in 1889, operated his hairdressing salon on the second floor. His presence adds another dimension to the building’s history, connecting its commercial rooms with the experiences of Exeter’s African American community.
Today, The Exeter Apothecary recalls the building’s pharmaceutical past through its name and surviving wooden apothecary cabinetry. Adapted for cocktails and dining, the space preserves tangible elements of a business that helped make the Merrill Block a familiar destination in downtown Exeter.
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