Louisiana Purchase: Where to Learn its History
See these sites tied to America's greatest real estate deal.
At a Glance
- The Louisiana Purchase was an 1803 agreement in which the United States acquired approximately 828,000 square miles of territory from France. The acquired territory stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico to present-day Canada.
- Museums, historic sites and cultural attractions across Louisiana help visitors explore the state's connection to this pivotal moment in American history.
History of the Louisiana Purchase
At the turn of the 19th century, President Thomas Jefferson saw French-held New Orleans as the stepping stone to secure American expansion beyond the Appalachian Mountains. Controlling the port city at the mouth of the Mississippi River would secure American access to one of the nation's most important trade routes, so Jefferson sent emissaries to France — Ambassador Robert Livingston and James Monroe, a statesman and future president — to cut a deal with Napoleon Bonaparte for New Orleans.
Livingston and Monroe received an unexpected counteroffer — Bonaparte would sell New Orleans, but only if America bought all of the Louisiana Territory. Neither the emissaries nor Bonaparte knew exactly how large Louisiana was, as it was simply a description — the Mississippi River, its western tributaries and the land in between those western rivers. Monroe and Livingston knew it would satisfy Jefferson’s westward plans, and Bonaparte’s $15 million asking price sounded fair. So the deal was struck.
It wasn’t until Jefferson’s commissioning of the Lewis and Clark expedition that America came to appreciate the full scale of the acquisition. The land deal included everything between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains, excluding Spanish Texas. In all, more than 800,000 square miles of land (at about 4 cents an acre) that would eventually be cut into all or part of 15 states.
Great Places to Learn About the Louisiana Purchase in Louisiana
The Cabildo, New Orleans
Cabildo, Louisiana State Musuem in New Orleans was the seat of the colonial Louisiana government and where the Louisiana Purchase transfer ceremony took place. The site on Jackson Square offers exhibits on Louisiana and New Orleans history. One of nine known death masks made of Bonaparte is permanently housed on-site.
Steamboat Natchez, New Orleans
Daily cruises on the Steamboat Natchez give visitors an up-close look at New Orleans as America’s busiest port city. The paddlewheeler departs near Jackson Square twice daily, and riders can observe global river commerce between offerings of live jazz music and Creole cuisine.
Capitol Park Museum, Baton Rouge
Capitol Park Museum in downtown Baton Rouge, another Louisiana State Museum site, features an exhibit on the Louisiana Purchase including a large illuminated map of the territory.
Louisiana's Old State Capitol, Baton Rouge
Just blocks away, visitors can learn about leaders during colonial and early statehood Louisiana in the Museum of Political History at Louisiana’s Old State Capitol.
Natchitoches Historic District
Natchitoches — named The South’s Best Small Town in Louisiana by Southern Living — is the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase, predating New Orleans by about four years. Top activities in the historic town on Cane River Lake are visiting Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, a reproduction of the settlement’s colonial French trading post; self-guided tours of sites associated with the film Steel Magnolias, which was filmed in Natchitoches and written by a local; and dining, nightlife and shopping in the city’s downtown Historic Landmark District. Be sure to check out Kaffie-Frederick General Mercantile on Front Street — established in 1863, it’s the oldest store in Louisiana.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Louisiana Purchase?
The Louisiana Purchase was an 1803 agreement in which the United States acquired approximately 828,000 square miles of territory from France for $15 million. The purchase nearly doubled the size of the young nation and opened vast areas of North America to exploration and settlement.
Why is the Louisiana Purchase important?
The Louisiana Purchase is considered one of the most significant events in U.S. history because it doubled the country's size, strengthened control of the Mississippi River, expanded economic opportunities and accelerated westward expansion.
Did the Louisiana Purchase include Louisiana?
Yes, but the original Louisiana Territory was far larger than today's state. Modern Louisiana represents only a small portion of the vast territory acquired by the United States from France in 1803.
Where can visitors learn about the Louisiana Purchase in Louisiana?
Visitors can explore Louisiana Purchase history at sites such as the The Cabildo in New Orleans, where the transfer ceremonies took place, as well as museums, historic sites and interpretive exhibits throughout the state that highlight Louisiana's colonial and early American history.
What role did New Orleans play in the Louisiana Purchase?
New Orleans was the key reason the United States pursued negotiations with France. Control of the city's port meant control of trade along the Mississippi River, making it strategically and economically vital to the growing nation.
