Purdue was founded on May 6 , 1869 , as a land-grant university , accepted a donation of land and money from Lafayette businessman John Purdue to establish a college of science , technology , and agriculture in his name . Purdue was founded on May 6 , 1869 , as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly , taking advantage of the Morrill Act , accepted a donation of land and money from Lafayette businessman John Purdue to establish a college of science , technology , and agriculture in his name .