The document that finalized the Louisiana Purchase will be on display at the old State Capitol in Baton Rouge starting today. Secretary of State Nancy Landry says this remarkable piece of history is on loan from the National Archives in Washington D.C. as part of America’s 250th anniversary celebration.
“It has the seals and the case that it’s in, and a copy of the actual signature of Napoleon Bonaparte that the public will be able to see,” Landry said.
Landry says the document is available for the public to see through July 11th in an exhibit called “Bought for a Song.”
“Opening week, we ask that the public make an appointment to actually view the document if they want to go in and view the document,” Landry said.
To make an appointment go to louisianaoldstatecapitol.org.
The Louisiana Purchase resulted in the United States acquiring 828,000 square miles of land from France in 1803, doubling the nation’s size for about 3¢ an acre. The transaction is often described as “Bought for Song.”
Napoleon Bonaparte was the military dictator of France at the time and Landry says you can see his signature on this critical piece of American and Louisiana history.
“It has the wax seals on it; it’s very cool. It’s just really an interesting to see, considering our history,” Landry noted.
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