MARCH 30

On this date in 1867, Secretary of State William Seward made the most important purchase in the history of the United States of America. At the time, it was known as Seward's Folly. Seward negotiated a deal to purchase land from the Empire of Russia for 1.9 cents per acre. A cold, desolate land it was...land not suitable for man or beast. The New York Times said it contained nothing of value but fur bearing animals. Seward gave the Russians $7,200,000.00 for what we now call Alaska. The Russians were hard up for money. They feared they could not defend the land from their enemies, the British, and that they might lose it and get nothing for it. Lucky for us.