Dr. James Alexander Lafayette Purdom was hardly a man who stayed put. A surgeon educated at the University of Pennsylvania, he spent his early life pinballing between Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky. So what finally convinced him to settle down? It was this property in Washington, Arkansas, which he bought in 1843, linking his memory forever to the house that now carries his name.

Dr. Purdom, a well-educated surgeon who had completed his medical training at the University of Pennsylvania, was hardly a stranger to motion; like other Washington residents, he seemed to lead a wandering life. He moved from Tennessee to Alabama and Kentucky before finally settling in Washington with his wife, Ann. The land itself has a history stretching back to early settlers like J.N. Johnson, but ultimately it was the Purdom family who held the property through the turbulent decades, giving the house its enduring name.

The Purdom House today reflects both its early origins and a significant architectural evolution, notably a major remodeling in 1860. This remodeling likely took place after Dr. Purdom's period of service as a surgeon for the Army in the early 1860s. The property was a place of constant activity in Washington, and once even served as collateral for a $700.00 loan at one point, a fascinating glimpse into the family's finances. By 1892, the Purdom family no longer owned the property, yet the name stuck. The Purdom House was more than just a residence; it also served as a thriving surgical office.

Dr. Purdom ran an extensive practice out of the building. He specialized in the stubborn treatment of chronic ulcers alongside a full spectrum of other ailments. When he settled here in 1843, Dr. Purdom made a brilliant, strategic move which positioned him and his prominent medical career to serve patients and trade routes across the entire region, from southwest Arkansas to northeast Texas. Come to Historic Washington today and tour this home which focuses on the ailments and medicines of 19th century southwest Arkansas and the doctors who treated them.