Thing to do in Jackson MS
Jackson is the capital of Mississippi and also is one of 2 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 forces captured Jackson and also destroyed it. There was a natural gas boom in the 1920s, and also it's nicknamed "The City with Soul."
The Jackson market has a populace 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 inhabitant was Louis LeFleur, and Jackson was originally known as LeFleur's Bluff. In 1821, a state-commissioned summary stated LeFleur's Bluff was a beautiful location and also had a lot of water and also timber and accessibility to the Natchez Trail. The site then became the seat of state government. It was mapped in 1822 in a grid pattern, and city blocks include many parks. The railroad was built through Jackson in 1840, which triggered development after the War Between the States.
Jackson was a manufacturing facility for the Confederacy during the Civil War, making it a target of Union troops in 1863. Because the city was ruined, few antebellum structures have survived. Nonetheless, the Governor's Mansion, the Old Capitol, and the Jackson City Hall continue to be.
After the Civil War, financial recovery was slow. Mule-drawn streetcars became electric in 1899. A new capitol building 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 also her residence is a National Historic Landmark. Jackson experienced a boom in the early 20th century, and also a new Union Terminal was constructed. The King Edward Hotel opened in 1923 and also was a facility for distinguished occasions. The 1919 Standard Life Building set the record for the biggest reinforced concrete building at the time.
Gas fields were found in 1930 leading to another boom that lessened the effects of the Great Depression. This industry tailed off in 1955.
Throughout Mississippi's extensive ban on booze, drinking and gaming flourished on the opposite side of the river in Flowood's Gold Coast. Those organizations closed down when Mississippi legalized alcohol in 1966. The state allowed riverboat gaming in 1990, and many casinos have opened up.
Hawkins Field came to be an important U.S. Military airbase in World War Two, housing the Royal Netherlands Military Flying School after Nazi Germany overwhelmed the Netherlands.
Jackson was an important center of civil rights protests in the '60s and also was the terminus of the James Meredith March. Meredith was the first African American to register at the University of Mississippi. The first lung transplant took place at the University of Mississippi Medical Facility in 1963. Malaco Records calls Jackson home and is a leader in gospel, blues, and soul. Paul Simon tape-recorded at Malaco in 1973.
Harvey Johnson, Jr. ended up being Jackson's very first African-American mayor in 1997, and he was a champion for the Convention Center. Jackson was denoted as one of the 10 friendliest cities in the USA in 2013.
Jackson is in Hinds County and also some parts of Madison as well as Rankin counties. The eastern line is the Pearl River. It's bordered on the north by Ridgeland, on the east by Flowood as well as Richland, the south by Byram and the west by Clinton. It has a total area of 113.2 square miles and also is drained by the Big Black and also Pearl Rivers.
Jackson rests on top of an extinct volcano that's 2,900 feet underground. The buried peak is under the Mississippi Coliseum. Jackson-Evers International Airport terminal 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.