1. The Louisiana Purchase Treaty was signed on October 3, 1803.
On this day, the United States officially acquired Louisiana from France in a landmark deal that would dramatically increase the size of the country.

2. The first sugar refinery in the United States was established in New Orleans on October 3, 1795.
Located on the banks of the Mississippi River, this refinery helped establish Louisiana as a leading producer of sugar cane in the country.

3. Louisiana State University, one of the state's largest universities, was founded on October 3, 1860.
Originally called the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy, the school was established to provide education and training to the state's young men.

4. New Orleans held its first world's fair, the World Cotton Centennial, on October 3, 1884.
This event celebrated the city's cotton industry and featured exhibits from around the world.

5. During World War II, the United States built a large naval base in Lake Pontchartrain, just north of New Orleans, on October 3, 1942.
Known as Naval Air Station New Orleans, this base helped protect shipping in the Gulf of Mexico and trained thousands of sailors and pilots.