Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, is named after the seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jackson, in recognition for his victory in the Battle of New Orleans.
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The area that is now Jackson was initially referred to as Parkerville and was settled by Louis LeFleur, a French Canadian trader, along the historic Natchez Trace trade route. The area then became known as LeFleur's Bluff. LeFleur's Bluff was founded based on the need for a centrally located capital for the state of Mississippi. In 1821, the Mississippi General Assembly, meeting in the then-capital of Natchez, had sent Thomas Hinds, James Patton, and William Lattimore to look for a site. Their report to the General Assembly stated that this location had beautiful and healthful surroundings, good water, abundant timber, navigable waters, and proximity to the trading route Natchez Trace. And so, a legislative Act passed by the Assembly on November 28, 1821, authorized the location to become the permanent seat of the government of the state of Mississippi.
The population of Jackson was 171,155 in 2014.
Things to See and Do
- Museum of Mississippi History - Located in the heart of downtown Jackson, visitors will enjoy innovative exhibits, educational programs, and hundreds of artifacts.
- Mississippi Civil Rights Museum - Discover stories of Mississippians like Medgar Evers, Fannie Lou Hamer and Vernon Dahmer - as well as those who traveled many miles to stand beside them, come what may, in the name of equal rights for all.
- The Eudora Welty House and Garden - A literary house museum and historic garden where Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty lived and wrote for 76 years.
- Mississippi Crafts Center - Home of the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi, a non-profit organization of craftsmen and others to preserve and promote folk, traditional and contemporary crafts.
- Reservoir Overlook - milepost 105.6 - Scenic Overlook, Top 30 Favorite Site
Places to Stay
- Directions, Map, Dining and Area Attractions
- Natchez Trace - Jackson Access / Exit Roads:
Jackson Festivals & Events:
- Chimneyville Fine Crafts Festival - December