Jackson is the capital city of Mississippi. The statewide Mississippi Freedom Trail runs through the city, encompassing a number of historic sites that were significant in the civil rights movement. These include the Medgar Evers Home Museum and the landmark Mississippi State Capitol building. In leafy LeFleur’s Bluff State Park, the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science includes an aquarium and nature trails.
ZIP codes: 39200-39299
Jackson is the capital of Mississippi and is just one of two county seats of Hinds County. Named after General Andrew Jackson, it was established in 1821 to be the state capital. After the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863, General William Tecumseh Sherman's Union forces over-ran Jackson and also destroyed it. There was a natural gas boom in the 1920s, and it's nicknamed "The City with Soul."
The Jackson market has a populace of 579,332. It belonged to the Choctaw Indians in the day. Mississippi Choctaw are now part of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and also live in several Native-American towns in the state.
The very first European inhabitant was Louis LeFleur, and also Jackson was originally referred to as LeFleur's Bluff. In 1821, a state-commissioned summary claimed LeFleur's Bluff was a beautiful location and had lots of water and also trees and also 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 include numerous parks. The railroad was built through Jackson in 1840, which triggered growth after the War Between the States.
Jackson was a production center for the Confederacy throughout the Civil War, making it a target of Union forces in 1863. Considering that the city was ruined, few antebellum structures have endured. However, the Governor's Mansion, the Old Capitol building, and the Jackson City Hall remain.
After the War Between the States, economic recovery was slow. Mule-drawn streetcars became electrical in 1899. A new capitol building was built 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 residence is a National Historic Landmark. Jackson experienced a boom in the very early 20th century, and also a brand-new Union Terminal was constructed. The King Edward Hotel opened up in 1923 and was a facility for prestigious events. The 1919 Standard Life Building set the record for the largest reinforced concrete structure at the time.
Gas fields were found in 1930 resulting in another boom that minimized the impacts of the Great Depression. This sector tailed off in 1955.
During Mississippi's extensive ban on booze, alcohol consumption and also gambling prospered on the opposite side of the river in Flowood's Gold Coast. Those businesses closed down when Mississippi legalized alcohol in 1966. The state permitted riverboat gaming in 1990, and numerous casinos have opened.
Hawkins Field became a crucial U.S. Army airbase in World War Two, housing the Royal Netherlands Military Flying School after Nazi Germany overran the Netherlands.
Jackson was a vital hub of civil liberties protests in the '60s and was the terminus of the James Meredith March. Meredith was the first African American to register at the U of Mississippi. The first lung transplant occurred at the U of Mississippi Medical Center in 1963. Malaco Records calls Jackson home and also is a leader in gospel, blues, and soul. Paul Simon recorded at Malaco in 1973.
Harvey Johnson, Jr. came to be Jackson's first African-American mayor in 1997, and he was a champion for the Convention Center. Jackson was signified as one of the ten friendliest cities in the United States in 2013.
Jackson is in Hinds County and also some parts of Madison and 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 the earth. The buried peak is under the Mississippi Coliseum. Jackson-Evers International Airport has non-stop service to six cities.
Re-created 1920s town & cotton artifacts
A living-history farm, a recreated 1920s cotton-economy-era town & local historical artifacts.
Interactive galleries on local history
History museum with interactive galleries exploring the state's role in the civil rights movement.
Jackson, MS
Southern fare with a twist & original cocktails spotlighted in modern-rustic digs with a patio.
Jackson, MS
NY-style pizza & myriad ice creams are served in laid-back digs with patios & an adult-only lounge.
Jackson, MS
Contemporary dining space providing innovative, Southern-style seafood mains & craft cocktails.
Jackson, MS
Seasonal Southern meals with a Mediterranean twist in a sharp, open bar/eatery with outdoor seating.
Jackson, MS
BBQ plates with global influences & a lengthy craft beer list offered in hip, rustic surrounds.