Things to do in Ridgeland MS

Ridgeland is a city in Madison County, Mississippi. The population was 24,047 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area. Wikipedia

Elevation: 358′

Hotels: 3-star averaging $102.

Jackson is the capital of Mississippi and is among two county seats of Hinds County. Named after General Andrew Jackson, it was developed in 1821 to be the state capital. After the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863, General William Tecumseh Sherman's Union troops over-ran Jackson and also burned it to the ground. There was a natural gas boom in the 1920s, and it's nicknamed "The City with Soul."

The Jackson area has a population of 579,332. It was part of the Choctaw nation in the day. Mississippi Choctaw are now part of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and also live in a number of Native-American communities in the state.

The first European settler was Louis LeFleur, and also Jackson was originally called LeFleur's Bluff. In 1821, a state-commissioned summary claimed LeFleur's Bluff was an attractive location and had plenty of water and also trees and access to the Natchez Trail. The area then came to be the seat of state government. It was mapped in 1822 in a grid pattern, and city blocks contain many parks. The railroad went through Jackson in 1840, which triggered development after the Civil War.

Jackson was a production center for the Confederacy throughout the War Between the States, making it a target of Union forces in 1863. Since the city was destroyed, few antebellum structures have survived. However, the Governor's Mansion, the Old Capitol, as well as the Jackson City Hall remain.

After the War Between the States, financial recovery was slow. Mule-drawn streetcars ended up being electrical in 1899. A new capitol was constructed in 1903.

Born in Jackson in 1909, writer Eudora Welty won the Pulitzer Prize in 1973 for, "The Optimist's Daughter." The Jackson Public Library was named for her, and her house is a National Historic Landmark. Jackson experienced a boom in the very early 20th century, and also a new Union Terminal was constructed. The King Edward Hotel opened up in 1923 and also was a facility for prominent occasions. The 1919 Standard Life Building set the record for the biggest reinforced concrete structure at the time.

Gas fields were discovered in 1930 resulting in another boom that reduced the impacts of the Great Depression. This industry trailed off in 1955.

Throughout Mississippi's extended Prohibition, alcohol consumption and betting prospered on the opposite side of the river in Flowood's Gold Coast. Those businesses shut down when Mississippi became ended up being "wet" in 1966. The state permitted riverboat gaming in 1990, and also lots of casino sites have opened up.

Hawkins Field came to be an important United States Military airbase in World War II, housing the Royal Netherlands Military Flying School after Nazi Germany overran the Netherlands.

Jackson was an important center of civil liberties demonstrations in the '60s and also was the terminus of the James Meredith March. Meredith was the first African American to enroll at the U of Mississippi. The very first lung transplant occurred at the U of Mississippi Medical Facility in 1963. Malaco Records calls Jackson its home base and is a leader in gospel, blues, and soul. Paul Simon tape-recorded at Malaco in 1973.

Harvey Johnson, Jr. came to be Jackson's very first African-American mayor in 1997, and also he was a champion for the Convention Center. Jackson was denoted as one of the ten friendliest cities in the USA in 2013.

Jackson is in Hinds County and also some areas of Madison and also Rankin counties. The eastern line is the Pearl River. It's bordered on the north by Ridgeland, on the east by Flowood and also Richland, the south by Byram and the west by Clinton. It has an overall landmass of 113.2 square miles and also is drained by the Big Black as well as Pearl Rivers.

Jackson sits on top of a dead volcano that's 2,900 feet below ground. The buried peak is under the Mississippi Coliseum. Jackson-Evers International Airport terminal has non-stop service to 6 cities.

141 Madison Landing Cir

Big waterfront seafood restaurant specializing in fried fare served up in rustic, kid-friendly digs.

587 US-51

Comfort food · Quick bite · Healthy options

2355, 207 W Jackson St

Casual eatery with a small patio, Greek decor & traditional meals like gyros & salads.

515 Lake Harbour Dr

Casual restaurant serving Southern American fare in diner-like digs with bakery counter.

574 US-51 suite f

American fare from burgers to Southern favorites in a low-key space adorned with deer trophies.