On December 31, 1915 the store was acquired by three investors and incorporated as the McGill Drug Company. It changed hands many times but remained incorporated as the McGill Drug Co., until its final closure in 1979.

Our records do not indicate who the first pharmacist was, but they do show that Nick Thomson was there from 1918 until 1924 and that he gave on-the-job training to C.L. Fleming who stayed until 1933. In the late 1930’s Gerald “Jerry” Culbert became the pharmacist, in 1954 he became a partner in the store. By the mid 1950’s Gerald and Elsa, his wife, had become sole owners of the business.

In 1979, when Gerald passed away Elsa closed the pharmacy, but kept a portion of the store open sporadically for a few years. Very little of the 1979 inventory was sold. By the mid 1980’s the store was closed permanently.

On November 3, 1995 the Culbert’s sons Michael, Steven and Danny gave the Drug Store and its inventory to the White Pine Public Museum for historical preservation and display.

There is an even more important reason for preserving the store. Drug stores such as McGill were common and taken for granted by the public. Now, when medical historians and medical anthropologists would like to understand the importance that these establishments had on our culture, they find they are no longer in
existence. Those that do exist have usually been modernized.

Thus, the McGill Drug Store is a time capsule. Even though it closed in 1979, as you look around, you will notice that some of the products date as far back as the 1950’s. Of even greater importance is the fact that every business record, every invoice and every prescription filled, as far back as 1915 has been maintained. The opportunity for research is unparalleled.