The District-of-Louisiana was a short-lived administrative division of the United States that existed from October 1, 1804, to July 4, 1805. This district was established following the Louisiana Purchase, which was completed in 1803, when the United States acquired approximately 828,000 square miles of French territory west of the Mississippi River for $15 million.
After the Louisiana Purchase, the territory was initially known as the Territory-of-Louisiana. However, due to the need for efficient governance, the area was split into two separate administrative districts:
The District-of-Louisiana was directly administered by the United States government, with James Wilkinson appointed as the first and only governor of this district. Wilkinson was a controversial figure due to his alleged involvement in various political intrigues, including connections with Aaron Burr in the Burr conspiracy.
On July 4, 1805, the District-of-Louisiana was reorganized into the Territory-of-Louisiana with a new territorial government. This transition marked the end of the District-of-Louisiana as a distinct administrative entity. The reorganization allowed for a more structured governance system, leading to the eventual statehood of Louisiana in 1812.