In 1832, Washington Irving visited his nephew Oscar Irving who lived near the old stone farmhouse. Irving had recently undertaken a substantial trip through the prairies of the Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers, and the frontier lifestyle made him lament his lack of a home of his own. He was also frustrated because he had lived most of his adult life as a guest in other people's homes. As Irving wrote, he was eager for a home and was "willing to pay a little unreasonably for it". Irving finally purchased the property on June 7, 1835 for $1,800; he would later, through the years, add to the property to expand the estate.