Queen Adelaide's Dispensary

You are standing before what was once Queen Adelaide's Dispensary, a building whose elaborate Renaissance facade stands in stark contrast to the grim purpose for which it was constructed. It was built in eighteen sixty-six as a direct response to the devastating cholera outbreaks that frequently ravaged this neighborhood. The structure features a central tower with a cupola and a stone bust of Queen Adelaide set within a pediment, commemorating the royal donation that helped launch the institution. Its architecture was designed by Lee and Long, a firm that specialized in medical facilities, intending to bring a sense of civic dignity to an area struggling with severe overcrowding and poor sanitation.