The home was declared a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1966 for its role as the site of the world's first ovariotomy, performed without anesthesia by Dr. McDowell in 1809.

[4] On December 13, 1809, Dr. McDowell diagnosed an ovarian tumor in Jane Todd Crawford of Green County, Kentucky, In his house on Christmas morning, 1809, Dr. McDowell removed a 22.5-pound (10.2 kg) tumor without anesthetic or antisepsis.

Mrs. Crawford made an uncomplicated recovery, returning to her home 25 days later and living another 32 years.

He added the front, clapboard portion in 1803–1804 and the small brick office to the left of the back porch in 1820.

Dr. August Schachner, of Louisville, led the efforts to buy the house for restoration.

The room that served as the original office of Dr. McDowell is now used as a shoe-shining booth for Negroes.

The Kentucky Pharmaceutical Society restored the Apothecary Shop in the late 1950s with help from the Eli Lily Foundation.