Today is Alaska Day, the anniversary of the formal transfer of territories from the Russian Empire to the United States, which happened on October 18, 1867. Alaska was purchased for $7.2 million, which breaks down to less than 2 cents an acre. It was originally a controversial move, but public opinion softened when gold was discovered there in 1899. Discover more about our 49th state in the audio below, and click here for more information.