Explore Louisiana Treasure Stories

Imperial Calcasieu Parish Treasures

Jean LaFitte's Legacy

Legend of Pavell's Island

Noah Cloud's Buried Treasure

Welcome to Louisiana, known as "Cajun Country," and the birthplace of the first black female self-made millionaire, Sarah Breedlove Walker, born in 1867, who made her fortune selling hair care products and came to be known as Madame C.J. Walker.

With Jefferson's acquisition of Louisiana, the size of the fledgling U.S. was nearly doubled, making it a rising world power. Eventually, 13 states or sections of states would be carved out of the Louisiana Purchase territory.  

Throughout most of its history, Louisiana was an important trading and financial center, and its fertile land made it one of the richest regions in America where sugar, indigo, and cotton brought it prominence in world markets.  Prior to the downfall of plantation life during the Civil War, Louisiana planters were some of the wealthiest men in the country.  

During the period of Spanish rule, several thousand French-speaking refugees from the region of Acadia headed to Louisiana after being expelled by the British.  They primarily settled in Southwestern Louisiana where the Spanish welcomed them, and their descendants came to be known as the Cajuns.