Between Colony and State: Louisiana in the Territorial Period, 1803–1812
On December 20, 1803, the largest real estate transaction in U.S. history was fulfilled with the official transfer of the Louisiana Purchase territory from France to the United States.
The date marked the beginning of a turbulent period in Louisiana history, complete with political disputes and culture clashes. The exhibition Between Colony & State: Louisiana in the Territorial Period, 1803–1812, and its companion online component, examines the people, places, and events that shaped this fascinating period, which culminated in Louisiana’s admission to the Union as the 18th state. Highlights of the exhibition include manuscript maps, newspapers from the period, artists’ depictions of contemporary life, and a short film by Walter Williams.
To learn more about the myriad characters and events that shaped the territorial period, The Collection invites you to explore Between Colony and State: An Interactive Journey.
View the events in a chronological order with the territorial period interactive timeline.
The exhibition catalogue is also available as a download (PDF)1.7 mb
The territorial period will be the focus of the 15th Annual Williams Research Center Symposium in January 2010.
Below are a collection of images from the display.
Le Moniteur de la LouisianeNew Orleans: J. B. L. S. Fontaine, July 22, 1809;
The Historic New Orleans Collection (70-76-L.9)
Natura lenguarum or Theory and Practice of Three Languages Compared and Easely Learnedby G. Mt. De Pays; New Orleans: Jerome Bayon, 1832;
The Historic New Orleans Collection (79-923-RL)
Corsair Alligator1813; watercolor by C. Roussel, painter
The Historic New Orleans Collection (1939.7)
A Map of the State of Louisiana with Part of the Mississippi Territoryc. 1816; hand-colored engraving by William Darby, surveyor; Samuel Harrison, engraver; John Melish, publisher;
The Historic New Orleans Collection, gift of Richard Koch (1957.57)
Louisiana1814; hand-colored engraving by Mathew Carey, publisher
The Historic New Orleans Collection (1958.21)
A View of New Orleans Taken from the Plantation of MarignyNovember 5, 1803; aquatint with etching and watercolor by John L. Boqueta de Woiseri, printmaker
The Historic New Orleans Collection (1958.42)
Maison Duverje à Algerca. 1887; watercolor and pencil by William R. Shaw, draftsman and artist
The Historic New Orleans Collection (1964.12)
Plan de la ville et des faubourgs incorporés de la Nouvelle-Orléans1870s; ink with watercolor by Claude Jules Allou d'Hémécourt;
The Historic New Orleans Collection (1966.33.30)
Plan of the City and Suburbs of New Orleans from an Actual Survey made by J. Tanesse in 1815April 29, 1817; engraving by Jacques Tanesse, surveyor; Rollinson, engraver; Charles Del Vecchio and Pierre Maspero, publishers;
The Historic New Orleans Collection (1971.4)
Carte générale du Territoire d'Orléans comprenant aussi la Floride Occidentale et une portion du Territoire du Mississipi1806; engraving by Barthélémy Lafon;
The Historic New Orleans Collection, bequest of Richard Koch (1971.52)
Sauvages du Mississipi1821; lithograph by Edouard de Montulé, draftsman and artist; Brocas; publisher
The Historic New Orleans Collection (1974.25.10.159)
Bonaparte Discussing the Louisiana Purchase Treaty with Talleyrand and MarboisJune 1904; photomechanical half-tone print by Jean André Castaigne, draftsman and artist; H. Davidson, engraver
The Historic New Orleans Collection (1974.25.10.64)
The Signing of the Louisiana Purchase Treaty by Marbois, Livingston, and Monroe1904; half-tone by Jean André Castaigne, delineator; H. Davidson, engraver
The Historic New Orleans Collection (1974.25.10.65)
Scene of Transfer of Louisiana from France to the United States in the Place d'Arms at New Orleansca. 1903; lithograph by Goupil and Company, publisher
The Historic New Orleans Collection, gift of Mr. Thomas Lennox (1991.34.25)
