The United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867. At the time, U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward was lambasted. The deal was known as “Seward’s Folly” and President Johnson’s “polar bear garden”.

Alaska would eventually be treasured for its beauty, wildlife, and natural resources.

Foolish decisions aren’t always wise moves in disguise. Sometimes people do make colossal errors in judgement.

But history shows us that some things seen as wisdom today … were once seen as complete folly.