Philadelphia Dispensary

The Philadelphia Dispensary was the first institution of its kind in the United States. It was a hospital for the poor, providing medical care to those who could not afford to go to other hospitals. The dispensary was established in 1786 by Dr. Benjamin Rush. In 1801 a new building was constructed (see images below). This dispensary helped thousands of residents including my 4th great-grandfather Mathew Ivory.

The dispensary was located on 5th street between Walnut and Chestnut streets. It was located just to the east of Independence Square. At the time it was next to Mercantile Library which also no longer exists.

The map on the right shows the location of where the dispensary used to be located. As you can see, it was directly across the street from Independence Square, right in the heart of Philadelphia.