Vintage Equine Medication & Liniments

I happened to be in Guthrie, OK over the weekend to test out a new coffee shop (Hoboken Coffee Roasters) and to drool over…I mean peruse all that Prairie Gothic has to offer! I hadn’t been to Guthrie since I was a kid, and the town has definitely changed! (Their new motto is “Make Guthrie Weird” so of course I was immediately drawn to find out why) As Ryan and I were strolling around, we discovered an antique drug store that has been preserved and includes thousands of antique medicine bottles, prescription cards, photos and even an old label storage compartment!

As you step inside the Oklahoma Frontier Drug store and Museum, you’re transported back into a much simpler time. Bottles line the walls, and the original counters are still intact and now contain numerous displays and information. Even the old ice cream and soda station – along with the cash register – remain intact! There’s almost too much to look at and it can be overwhelming so I decided to focus on one section at a time. The graphic designer in me was totally intrigued with the antique labels and had to study each one before I could tear myself away. I love the antique fonts and the layouts that they used on the packaging.

I think I was looking at the bottles with a designer’s eye instead of actually reading what the remedies were for. But Ryan pointed out a few interesting ones. Who knew you could buy cocaine and use it for medicinal purposes…or to kill rats?! (That’s what the reason for purchase stated on the ledger! I swear!)

And then I stumbled upon a veterinary supply display and discovered two shelves of antique horse medications and liniments.

Recognize anything? Yes, that’s the same Corona I’ve been using this week on one of Dancer’s cuts. I swear by this stuff and have been using it with great success for years. When I saw the yellow tin with the red lid, I immediately knew what it was. It’s amazing how color so strongly associated with brand recognition. I think up until a few years ago, their logo/font was still the same as this one! The tube is, of course, still yellow with a red lid. I also think that Ryan was a bit concerned by my excitement over this weird little tin. OK, I admit to geeking out about things like this sometimes. But it’s not often that we get a chance to see what our ancestors used on their horses. I’m very glad for the horse’s sake that modern medicine has advanced and that we have much better and more successful treatments out there. And it’s also fun to see what has stuck around!

I certainly enjoyed this odd little museum and I strongly recommend it the next time you find yourself in Guthrie, OK!