The United States sealed one of the best real estate deals in history on March 30, 1867, when it purchased Alaska from Russia for a whopping $7.2 million. If you break it down, that’s roughly two cents per acre of vast, unspoiled, natural beauty. This is humorously dubbed as ‘Seward’s Folly’, after Secretary of State William H. Seward, who arranged the purchase. Many people mocked the decision at the time due to Alaska’s perception as a barren, icy wasteland. However, following the discovery of gold and oil, Alaska turned into a goldmine, quite literally.
