As Louisiana’s secretary of state, I have the privilege of overseeing our elections, business services, the Louisiana State Archives and many of our state museums.

Those responsibilities may not seem to have much in common, but each plays a role in preserving our state’s history and helping shape its future.

That responsibility carries even greater meaning as we celebrate our country’s 250th anniversary.

When most Americans think about the beginning of our country, they think about the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Revolutionary War. When they think about the country’s expansion west, people often envision covered wagons crossing the plains or railroads being built.

But one of the most important moments in American history centered on our state.

Like most people, I appreciate a good bargain. Maybe it is purchasing a home at just the right time, finding a used car at a great price, or finding a vacant piece of land before anyone realizes its value.

No bargain in American history compares to the Louisiana Purchase. It was a deal that nearly doubled the size of our country and made America a world power with the stroke of a pen.

Vast landscape

President Thomas Jefferson originally sent Robert Livingston and James Monroe to France to purchase New Orleans and secure control of the Mississippi River. Instead, Napoleon Bonaparte, in need of money to finance his war against Great Britain, offered something unimaginable.

He offered the entire Louisiana Territory, stretching from the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains. For $15 million, the United States acquired more than 828,000 square miles, or roughly four cents an acre.

Adjusted for inflation, the purchase today would have cost around $438 million, or just $1.17 an acre. Today, that is less than 1% of Louisiana’s annual budget. Fifteen future states would be created in whole or in part from that land. Historians describe it as the greatest real estate transaction in history.

However, in what is now present-day Louisiana, the story was more complicated. While ownership changed on paper, not every question was immediately answered.

Parts of the western side of what we know as Louisiana became part of a disputed area between the United States and Spanish Texas. Unable to agree on a boundary line, the two nations agreed to a neutral strip of land — a place where neither government exercises clear authority. It was called “No Man’s Land.”

The Florida Parishes were another exception. They were not included in the original purchase and became a part of the United States years later.

Undefined borders

As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, it’s worth remembering that parts of the land beneath our feet were once places where no one knew exactly where one nation ended and another began.

The lawless territory attracted settlers, traders and its share of outlaws. Without a clear government, people often had to rely on themselves and their neighbors.

This reminds us that America wasn’t built overnight or by a single generation. It was built over time by ordinary people who faced uncertainty and established communities and local governments.

Less than a decade after the Louisiana Purchase, Louisiana entered the Union much smaller than its original territory. But our culture has remained uniquely our own. Louisiana is a gumbo of cultures, traditions and people unlike anywhere else in America.

Living history

Today, Louisianians have a unique chance to see and experience that history firsthand.

The National Archives has entrusted my office with one of the original Louisiana Purchase documents signed by Napoleon. It is now on display at the Louisiana Old State Capitol through July 11.

While these historic documents have returned to Louisiana before, this is the first time in more than two decades they have revisited the state they helped create.

I’ve stood and looked at the document several times since it arrived. Seeing it in person is different from seeing a photograph in a textbook. Looking at Napoleon’s signature, it’s impossible not to think about the generations of Americans whose lives were forever changed because of the agreement on those pages.

When people talk about our country’s founding documents, the Louisiana Purchase deserves to be in that conversation.

It changed the course of American history, and its effects continue to shape our lives today.

Preserving these connections to our past is one of the great responsibilities entrusted to the Secretary of State’s Office. Through our free museums and the Louisiana State Archives, we preserve the documents and stories that explain who we are as a state.

Our shared duty

I also have the privilege of helping safeguard another foundation of our democracy — our elections.

Preserving our history and administering our elections are deeply connected. While one reminds us of where we have been, the other helps shape where we are going.

President Ronald Reagan once said that freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It must be learned and appreciated by each generation.

Freedom isn’t just something we inherit, but something we must continue to practice.

As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, I hope you and your family will take a few hours to visit the Old State Capitol to see the Louisiana Purchase in person. By examining the document, you will be reminded of the journey our country has endured and gain a renewed sense of pride in the American story.

The Louisiana Purchase is one of the defining documents shaping our nation’s history. It is a legacy measured by more than the land it added to a map. It opened the door for a young nation to become the world's greatest power.

It is our responsibility to continue that growth and ensure our freedom for the generations to come.

Nancy Landry is the 45th secretary of state of Louisiana.

On the calendar

There are several events around Louisiana to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Here is a list of some going on now. For a full list, go to

Louisiana's Old State Capitol, 100 North Blvd., Baton Rouge, is featuring the exhibit, "Bought for a Song: A Young Nation Expands," whose only artifact is the French exchange copy of the convention between the Republic of France and the United States that finalized the Louisiana Purchase. Through July 11. .

The Historic New Orleans Collection, 520 Royal St., New Orleans, is featuring the exhibit, “American Revolution: The Augmented Exhibition,” where visitors can immerse themselves in 3D interactive reconstructions of key moments in American history. Through Jan. 17.

The Louisiana State Museum at the Cabildo, 701 Chartres St., New Orleans, is featuring the exhibit, “Gálvez and Louisiana in the American Revolution,” which explores the life of Spanish Gov. Bernardo de Gálvez and the diverse people of Louisiana who fought for American independence. Through May 15, 2027. .

About this series

Throughout the year, the Opinion pages are featuring columns and conversations from historians, scholars, politicians and others about what this 250th anniversary of America means. To read previous pieces, go to the Opinion section of our website.