Jackson, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Jackson is a city in Madison County, Tennessee
, United States
. The total population was 65,211 at the 2010 census. Jackson is the primary city of the Jackson, Tennessee metropolitan area
, which is included in the Jackson-Humboldt, Tennessee
Combined Statistical Area
. Jackson is the county seat
of Madison County, and its largest city.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 49.5 square miles (128.2 km²), all land.
is elected every four years. In 2007, Jerry Gist was elected to succeed Charles Farmer who had served since 1989.
The City Charter also provides for a legislative body of nine members, each elected by and representing a unique district.
Jackson's City Court Judge
serves an eight year term with a fixed salary during each term. The current judge is Blake Anderson. The court may dispose of misdemeanors and hold a preliminary hearing
for felonies. If the Judge
holds that probable cause is established for felonies, then the decision is bound to the grand jury
for indictment
and then to Circuit Court
.
before 1820. Originally named Alexandria, the city was renamed in 1822 to honor General Andrew Jackson
, later President of the United States
.
The City of Jackson was founded by an act of the Tennessee General Assembly
, passed in 1821, entitled an "act to establish a seat of justice for Henry, Carroll, Henderson and Madison Counties." The act required 50 acres (20.2 ha) of land to be deeded to the commissioners. The commissioners chosen by the Legislature were Sterling Brewer and James Fentress. The places had in view for the seat of justice were Alexandria, Golden’s Station, and Jackson. The larger portion of the settlers at that time were living on Cotton Grove Road, and as Jackson was a nearer to them than either of the others, the city was looked upon as the more suitable or desirable site for the seat of justice.
The Tennessee Supreme Court
is required to meet in Jackson because at the time of the second Tennessee State Constitution
in 1834, Memphis
had not yet developed, and Jackson was the most significant city in West Tennessee
.
's expedition into West Tennessee. Forrest wished to disrupt the rail supply line to Ulysses S. Grant
's army, campaigning down the Mississippi Central Railroad. If Forrest destroyed the Mobile & Ohio Railroad running south from Columbus, Kentucky
through Jackson, Grant would have to curtail or halt his operations altogether.
Forrest's 2,100-man cavalry brigade crossed the Tennessee River
on December 17. Grant ordered a soldier concentration at Jackson under Brigadier General Jeremiah C. Sullivan
and sent a cavalry force under Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll
. Forrest's soldiers destroyed the Union cavalry in Lexington, Tennessee
on December 18. As Forrest continued his advance the following day, Sullivan ordered Colonel Adolph Englemann to take a small force northeast of Jackson.
At Old Salem Cemetery, acting on the defensive, Englemann's two infantry regiments repulsed a Confederate mounted attack, then withdrew a mile closer to the city. The fight amounted to no more than a feint and show of force intended to hold Jackson's Union defenders in position, while two mounted columns destroyed railroad track to both the north and south of the town, then returned. Forrest withdrew from the Jackson area to attack Trenton and Humboldt after this mission was accomplished.
consisting of a mayor and two commissioners; however, as a result of a lawsuit which declared that at-large
elections served to dilute the voting power of the city's African-American residents, the city switched to election by districts. The dissolution of the former government also created the need for an elected city school board since the mayor and commissioners had formerly served in that capacity. In 1990, the city school system consolidated with the Madison County school system.
Between 1999 and 2008, several violent tornado
es struck large portions of the city including the downtown area, which was devastated in May 2003
by an F4 tornado. Parts of the Union University
campus were damaged in November 2002, and many dormitories at the campus were demolished in a storm in February 2008
. The McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport was also severely damaged in January 1999
. The 1999 storm resulted in eleven fatalities, while the 2003 storm resulted in eight fatalities. The 1999 tornado also damaged the 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) Riverside Cemetery, where 40 known Confederate soldiers, 140 unknowns, and many families of the founders of Jackson are buried.
On May 1, 2010 a severe thunderstorm hit Jackson causing a record breaking 14 inches of rain. This rain caused a flood to destroy many homes and streets.
The cemetery's acres of old trees and many of the statues, monuments, and graves were damaged during the tornado, including the monument of Colonel Robert I. Chester, military colonel from the War of 1812, the oldest Shriner in Tennessee, and son-in-law of John Donelson, one of the founders of Tennessee. His wife, Elizabeth Hays, was the niece of Jane Donelson, who was the sister to Rachel Jackson, wife of President Andrew Jackson.
, the Tennessee Central and the Mobile and Ohio
lines.
The first was the Mobile and Ohio Railroad
, which began in October, 1849 in Mobile, Alabama
. The line first entered Jackson in 1851. These tracks were completely destroyed during the Civil War. The line merged with the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad
in 1940 to become the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
. The second railroad to enter Jackson was the Mississippi Central & Tennessee. In 1873, the line was contracted and later controlled by the Illinois Central Railroad
.
On December 29, 1886, the Tennessee Midland Railway received a charter to build a railroad from Memphis, Tennessee
to the Virginia state line. The line from Memphis to Jackson was completed on June 1, 1888. In 1893, the Tennessee Midland went into receivership and was sold at foreclosure to the L&N Railroad. Around 1968 the remainder of the Tennessee Midland was abandoned east of Cordova with the exception of some track in Jackson, Tennessee. That track is now used to deliver goods to Jackson's east and west industrial parks.
The Tennessee Midland Railway Company line from Memphis
to Jackson was the forerunner of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
. This line was often referred to as the “NC” by locals. Like all other railroads to enter Jackson, it was built with funds subscribed by citizens and investors of Jackson. The first passenger train to enter Jackson from Memphis was on June 1, 1888. The highly profitable railroad was merged into the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
following WWII. After only a few years, the L&N was merged into and is now part of CSX Transportation
.
A charter was granted by the State of Tennessee on August 16, 1910 and construction began on July l, 1911. The first sector extended from Jackson to the station of Tigrett and by April 20, 1912, 38 miles (61.2 km) of the line were ready for operations. On June 16 the remaining 11 miles (17.7 km) sector was set into service, connecting Dyersburg, Tennessee
with Jackson. When the line began operations in 1912 it had as its president Isaac B. Tigrett, a prominent young banker of Jackson. The road immediately became an important local thoroughfare, moving much of the produce of the region to market in Jackson and Dyersburg. The Birmingham and Northwestern Railway Company had 4 locomotives, 5 passenger cars, and 92 freight cars. When Isaac B. Tigrett became President of the GM&N in 1920, he ceased to direct the affairs of the Birmingham and Northwestern Railroad Company. After he became president of the GM&O, the railroad was purchased merged to become the Dyersburg branch.
During the 1930s through the 1960s one could board fifteen regularly scheduled passenger trains at the two depots in Jackson. The names of some of those trains were The Rebel
, The Gulf Coast Rebel, The Sunchaser, The Floridian
, The Seminole, The City of Memphis
, and The City of Miami
. Without change of train, one could travel to Memphis, Nashville, Meridian, Montgomery, Mobile, Birmingham, Jacksonville, Daytona, Orlando, Miami, Centralia, Champaign-Urbana, Springfield, Chicago, St. Louis, and New Orleans.
, the Illinois Central engineer who, before colliding with a stalled freight train near Vaughn, Mississippi, told his fireman to jump to safety but himself died at the throttle, saving the lives of all his passengers. Jackson was also the home of singers Carl Perkins
and Luther Ingram
; game show host Wink Martindale
; football
players Ed "Too Tall" Jones , Al Wilson
, Trey Teague
, and Jabari Greer
; pianist Joe Hunter
(one of the Funk Brothers studio band who played on many Motown hits in the 1960s) and the rock band Full Devil Jacket
. Micajah Autry
, one of the heroes of The Alamo, practiced law in Jackson from 1831-35.
Aviator Steve Fossett
, the first man to fly solo nonstop around the world in a hot air balloon, was born in Jackson. Lauren Pritchard (singer)
was born and spent her childhood in Jackson. Actor
Christopher Jones
was born in Jackson. Jackson was also the original home of Monroe Dunaway Anderson
(a cotton
trader and capitalist
whose financial endowment
helped found the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas
), and of Isaac Burton Tigrett
, co-founder of the Hard Rock Cafe
chain of themed restaurants.Musician Gil Scott-Heron
was born in Chicago, Illinois, but spent his early childhood in Jackson, the home of his maternal grandmother. Blues harmonica player John Lee Curtis Williamson, better known as Sonny Boy Williamson
, was born in Jackson. Environmental
advocate, civil rights
activist, and lawyer
Van Jones
was born in Jackson.
Rockabilly
musician Carl Perkins
was born in Lake County, but lived for a long time in Jackson. Jackson’s Civic Center is named for him. When he died in January 1998, his funeral, held in the chapel of Lambuth University
, was attended by musicians including Ricky Skaggs
, Johnny Rivers
, Wynonna Judd
, Sam Phillips
, Jerry Lee Lewis
, Rufus Thomas
, Garth Brooks
and George Harrison
.
Jackson is the larger principal city of the Jackson-Humboldt CSA, a Combined Statistical Area
that includes the Jackson metropolitan area
(Chester and Madison counties) and the Humboldt micropolitan area (Gibson County), which had a combined population of 155,529 at the 2000 census
.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 59,643 people, 23,503 households, and 15,135 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,205.2 people per square mile (465.3/km²). There were 25,501 housing units at an average density of 515.3 per square mile (198.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55.13% White, 42.07% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races
, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.16% of the population.
There were 23,503 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples
living together, 19.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 87.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,194, and the median income for a family was $40,922. Males had a median income of $32,777 versus $23,229 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $18,495. About 14.0% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
goes through the city in an east-west direction, and U.S. Route 45
in a north-south direction. Interstate 40 has seven exits in the city. The Jackson Transit Authority line provides intra-city bus service, while the Greyhound Bus line provides inter-city service.
McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport
serves the city. Pacific Wings
, operating under the name TennesseeSkies
, began commercial service from Jackson to both Nashville and Atlanta on August 30, 2009.
runs east to west from Memphis
to Nashville
.
U.S. Route 45
runs north to south to Gibson County and Chester County.
U.S. Route 412
runs east from Lexington in Henderson County northwest to Dyersburg, Tennessee and I-55 to St. Louis
.
U.S. Route 70
or State Route 1 runs east to west to Huntington and Brownsville.
public schools in the city are operated by the Jackson-Madison County School System.
The Morgan Quitno list of the "Top 25 Most Dangerous Cities of 2007", ranked Jackson's as the 9th most dangerous metropolitan area in the United States. In 2006, it had been listed as the 18th most dangerous.
s and the restored home of Casey Jones.
The Jackson Generals, a Class AA minor league baseball
team in the Southern League
, and an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners
, played in Jackson from 1998 to 2010. The team changed its name for the 2011 season to the Jackson Generals, recalling the same name of the minor league team that played in Jackson in the Texas League
in the early 20th century.
The Hub City Hurricanes
of the IBL
played in Jackson for one season in 2007.
In 1974, a little league team from Jackson played in the Little League World Series
in Williamsport, PA—to date, the only team from West Tennessee to qualify.
From 1990-2011, Jackson hosted the NAIA Women's Division I National Championship
basketball tournament in the Oman Arena
.
Jackson hosts the annual Miss Tennessee
Scholarship Pageant at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.
West Tennessee Healthcare Sportsplex is a travel baseball and softball complex completed in 2007. It hosts numerous tournaments throughout the year and has contributed to the growth explosion of the northeast corridor of the city.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The total population was 65,211 at the 2010 census. Jackson is the primary city of the Jackson, Tennessee metropolitan area
Jackson, Tennessee metropolitan area
The Jackson, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties - Madison and Chester - in western Tennessee, anchored by the city of Jackson...
, which is included in the Jackson-Humboldt, Tennessee
Humboldt, Tennessee
Humboldt is a city in Gibson and Madison counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The population was 8,452 at the 2010 census, a decline of 1,015 in 2000. It is the principal city of and is included in the Humboldt, Tennessee Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Jackson,...
Combined Statistical Area
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
. Jackson is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Madison County, and its largest city.
Geography
Jackson is located at 35°37′59"N 88°49′15"W (35.633132, -88.820805).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 49.5 square miles (128.2 km²), all land.
Government
Jackson's executive MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is elected every four years. In 2007, Jerry Gist was elected to succeed Charles Farmer who had served since 1989.
The City Charter also provides for a legislative body of nine members, each elected by and representing a unique district.
Jackson's City Court Judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
serves an eight year term with a fixed salary during each term. The current judge is Blake Anderson. The court may dispose of misdemeanors and hold a preliminary hearing
Preliminary hearing
Within some criminal justice systems, a preliminary hearing is a proceeding, after a criminal complaint has been filed by the prosecutor, to determine whether there is enough evidence to require a trial...
for felonies. If the Judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
holds that probable cause is established for felonies, then the decision is bound to the grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
for indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
and then to Circuit Court
Circuit court
Circuit court is the name of court systems in several common law jurisdictions.-History:King Henry II instituted the custom of having judges ride around the countryside each year to hear appeals, rather than forcing everyone to bring their appeals to London...
.
Early settlement
Settlement of Jackson began along the Forked Deer RiverForked Deer River
The Forked Deer River system is the main drainage of the central portion of West Tennessee. Locals pronounce the first word of the river's name with two syllables, .The Forked Deer consists of various streams designated "Forked Deer" and their tributaries...
before 1820. Originally named Alexandria, the city was renamed in 1822 to honor General Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
, later President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
The City of Jackson was founded by an act of the Tennessee General Assembly
Tennessee General Assembly
The Tennessee General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional structure:According to the Tennessee State Constitution of 1870, the General Assembly is a bicameral legislature and consists of a Senate of thirty-three members and a House of Representatives of...
, passed in 1821, entitled an "act to establish a seat of justice for Henry, Carroll, Henderson and Madison Counties." The act required 50 acres (20.2 ha) of land to be deeded to the commissioners. The commissioners chosen by the Legislature were Sterling Brewer and James Fentress. The places had in view for the seat of justice were Alexandria, Golden’s Station, and Jackson. The larger portion of the settlers at that time were living on Cotton Grove Road, and as Jackson was a nearer to them than either of the others, the city was looked upon as the more suitable or desirable site for the seat of justice.
The Tennessee Supreme Court
Tennessee Supreme Court
The Tennessee Supreme Court is the state supreme court of the state of Tennessee. Cornelia Clark is the current Chief Justice.Unlike other states, in which the state attorney general is directly elected or appointed by the governor or state legislature, the Tennessee Supreme Court appoints the...
is required to meet in Jackson because at the time of the second Tennessee State Constitution
Tennessee State Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Tennessee defines the form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules of the U.S. State of Tennessee....
in 1834, Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
had not yet developed, and Jackson was the most significant city in West Tennessee
West Tennessee
West Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of the State of Tennessee. Of the three, it is the one that is most sharply defined geographically. Its boundaries are the Mississippi River on the west and the Tennessee River on the east...
.
Civil War
Between December 11, 1862 and January 1, 1863, an engagement at Jackson occurred during Confederate Brigadier General Nathan Bedford ForrestNathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered both as a self-educated, innovative cavalry leader during the war and as a leading southern advocate in the postwar years...
's expedition into West Tennessee. Forrest wished to disrupt the rail supply line to Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
's army, campaigning down the Mississippi Central Railroad. If Forrest destroyed the Mobile & Ohio Railroad running south from Columbus, Kentucky
Columbus, Kentucky
Columbus is a city in Hickman County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 229 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Columbus is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
through Jackson, Grant would have to curtail or halt his operations altogether.
Forrest's 2,100-man cavalry brigade crossed the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
on December 17. Grant ordered a soldier concentration at Jackson under Brigadier General Jeremiah C. Sullivan
Jeremiah C. Sullivan
Jeremiah Cutler Sullivan was an Indiana lawyer, antebellum United States Navy officer, and a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was among a handful of former Navy officers who later served as infantry generals during the war.-Early life and career:Jeremiah C....
and sent a cavalry force under Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll
Robert G. Ingersoll
Robert Green "Bob" Ingersoll was a Civil War veteran, American political leader, and orator during the Golden Age of Freethought, noted for his broad range of culture and his defense of agnosticism. He was nicknamed "The Great Agnostic."-Life and career:Robert Ingersoll was born in Dresden, New York...
. Forrest's soldiers destroyed the Union cavalry in Lexington, Tennessee
Lexington, Tennessee
Lexington is a city in Henderson County, Tennessee, United States. Lexington is midway between Memphis and Nashville, lying ten miles south of Interstate 40, which connects the two cities. The population was 7,393 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Henderson County...
on December 18. As Forrest continued his advance the following day, Sullivan ordered Colonel Adolph Englemann to take a small force northeast of Jackson.
At Old Salem Cemetery, acting on the defensive, Englemann's two infantry regiments repulsed a Confederate mounted attack, then withdrew a mile closer to the city. The fight amounted to no more than a feint and show of force intended to hold Jackson's Union defenders in position, while two mounted columns destroyed railroad track to both the north and south of the town, then returned. Forrest withdrew from the Jackson area to attack Trenton and Humboldt after this mission was accomplished.
Recent history
Before 1989, Jackson had a city commission governmentCity commission government
City commission government is a form of municipal government which once was common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission have since switched to the council-manager form of government...
consisting of a mayor and two commissioners; however, as a result of a lawsuit which declared that at-large
At-Large
At-large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body , rather than a subset of that membership...
elections served to dilute the voting power of the city's African-American residents, the city switched to election by districts. The dissolution of the former government also created the need for an elected city school board since the mayor and commissioners had formerly served in that capacity. In 1990, the city school system consolidated with the Madison County school system.
Between 1999 and 2008, several violent tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
es struck large portions of the city including the downtown area, which was devastated in May 2003
May 2003 tornado outbreak sequence
The May 2003 tornado outbreak sequence in the United States was a series of tornado outbreaks that occurred from May 3 to May 11, 2003. Tornadoes began occurring over the affected area on April 30, but the most prolific continuous period was the seven day period of May 4–10...
by an F4 tornado. Parts of the Union University
Union University
Union University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located in Jackson, Tennessee, with additional campuses in Germantown, Tennessee, and Hendersonville, Tennessee...
campus were damaged in November 2002, and many dormitories at the campus were demolished in a storm in February 2008
2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak
The 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak was a deadly tornado outbreak which affected the Southern United States and the lower Ohio Valley on February 5 and 6, 2008. The event began on Super Tuesday, while 24 U.S. states were holding primary elections and caucuses to select the presidential...
. The McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport was also severely damaged in January 1999
January 1999 tornado outbreak sequence
The January 1999 tornado outbreak sequence was a major outbreak of tornadoes from January 17 to 22 1999 across the Mississippi Valley, USA, centered in Arkansas and Tennessee. It was by far the largest tornado outbreak ever recorded in the month of January with 150 tornadoes confirmed...
. The 1999 storm resulted in eleven fatalities, while the 2003 storm resulted in eight fatalities. The 1999 tornado also damaged the 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) Riverside Cemetery, where 40 known Confederate soldiers, 140 unknowns, and many families of the founders of Jackson are buried.
On May 1, 2010 a severe thunderstorm hit Jackson causing a record breaking 14 inches of rain. This rain caused a flood to destroy many homes and streets.
Railroad history
Jackson developed rapidly just prior to the Civil War as a railroad junction and maintenance shop for several early railroads, including the Mississippi CentralMississippi Central Railroad
Mississippi Central Railroad may refer to:*Mississippi Central Railroad , a line from Oxford, Mississippi to Grand Junction, Tennessee owned by Pioneer Railcorp...
, the Tennessee Central and the Mobile and Ohio
Mobile and Ohio Railroad
The Mobile and Ohio Railroad was a railroad in the Southern U.S. The M&O was chartered in January and February 1848 by the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee. It was planned to span the distance between the seaport of Mobile, Alabama and the Ohio River near Cairo, Illinois...
lines.
The first was the Mobile and Ohio Railroad
Mobile and Ohio Railroad
The Mobile and Ohio Railroad was a railroad in the Southern U.S. The M&O was chartered in January and February 1848 by the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee. It was planned to span the distance between the seaport of Mobile, Alabama and the Ohio River near Cairo, Illinois...
, which began in October, 1849 in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. The line first entered Jackson in 1851. These tracks were completely destroyed during the Civil War. The line merged with the Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad
Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad
The Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad was a railroad in the Southern United States. The first World War had forced government operation upon the company; and in 1919, when it became once more a free agent, it chose Ike Tigrett to charter its new course...
in 1940 to become the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio was a Class I railroad in the central United States whose primary routes extended from Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana, to St...
. The second railroad to enter Jackson was the Mississippi Central & Tennessee. In 1873, the line was contracted and later controlled by the Illinois Central Railroad
Illinois Central Railroad
The Illinois Central Railroad , sometimes called the Main Line of Mid-America, is a railroad in the central United States, with its primary routes connecting Chicago, Illinois with New Orleans, Louisiana and Birmingham, Alabama. A line also connected Chicago with Sioux City, Iowa...
.
On December 29, 1886, the Tennessee Midland Railway received a charter to build a railroad from Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
to the Virginia state line. The line from Memphis to Jackson was completed on June 1, 1888. In 1893, the Tennessee Midland went into receivership and was sold at foreclosure to the L&N Railroad. Around 1968 the remainder of the Tennessee Midland was abandoned east of Cordova with the exception of some track in Jackson, Tennessee. That track is now used to deliver goods to Jackson's east and west industrial parks.
The Tennessee Midland Railway Company line from Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
to Jackson was the forerunner of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway was a railway company operating in the southern United States in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia...
. This line was often referred to as the “NC” by locals. Like all other railroads to enter Jackson, it was built with funds subscribed by citizens and investors of Jackson. The first passenger train to enter Jackson from Memphis was on June 1, 1888. The highly profitable railroad was merged into the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States.Chartered by the state of Kentucky in 1850, the L&N, as it was generally known, grew into one of the great success stories of American business...
following WWII. After only a few years, the L&N was merged into and is now part of CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
.
A charter was granted by the State of Tennessee on August 16, 1910 and construction began on July l, 1911. The first sector extended from Jackson to the station of Tigrett and by April 20, 1912, 38 miles (61.2 km) of the line were ready for operations. On June 16 the remaining 11 miles (17.7 km) sector was set into service, connecting Dyersburg, Tennessee
Dyersburg, Tennessee
Dyersburg is a city in and the county seat of Dyer County, Tennessee, United States, north-northeast of Memphis on the Forked Deer River. The population was 17,145 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Dyersburg is located at...
with Jackson. When the line began operations in 1912 it had as its president Isaac B. Tigrett, a prominent young banker of Jackson. The road immediately became an important local thoroughfare, moving much of the produce of the region to market in Jackson and Dyersburg. The Birmingham and Northwestern Railway Company had 4 locomotives, 5 passenger cars, and 92 freight cars. When Isaac B. Tigrett became President of the GM&N in 1920, he ceased to direct the affairs of the Birmingham and Northwestern Railroad Company. After he became president of the GM&O, the railroad was purchased merged to become the Dyersburg branch.
During the 1930s through the 1960s one could board fifteen regularly scheduled passenger trains at the two depots in Jackson. The names of some of those trains were The Rebel
Rebel (train)
The Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad Rebels were lightweight, streamlined Diesel-electric trains built by American Car and Foundry. The first two trains, purchased in 1935, provided service between New Orleans, Louisiana and Jackson, Tennessee. The third train, purchased in 1937, allowed...
, The Gulf Coast Rebel, The Sunchaser, The Floridian
The Floridian
The Floridian is the name of several hotels worldwide:*The Floridian -a hotel on International Drive, Orlando, Florida.*The Floridian - a residential building in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong*Floridian Hotel - a hotel in Miami, Florida...
, The Seminole, The City of Memphis
City of Memphis
The City of Memphis was a passenger train route operated by the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway connecting Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee.- Background :...
, and The City of Miami
City of Miami
This article is about the streamliner. For the city in Florida, see Miami.The City of Miami was a seven-car coach streamliner inaugurated by Illinois Central Railroad on December 18, 1940. Its route was from Chicago to Miami a total distance of ....
. Without change of train, one could travel to Memphis, Nashville, Meridian, Montgomery, Mobile, Birmingham, Jacksonville, Daytona, Orlando, Miami, Centralia, Champaign-Urbana, Springfield, Chicago, St. Louis, and New Orleans.
Hometown celebrities
Jackson was home to Casey JonesCasey Jones
John Luther Jones was an American railroad engineer from Jackson, Tennessee, who worked for the Illinois Central Railroad...
, the Illinois Central engineer who, before colliding with a stalled freight train near Vaughn, Mississippi, told his fireman to jump to safety but himself died at the throttle, saving the lives of all his passengers. Jackson was also the home of singers Carl Perkins
Carl Perkins
Carl Lee Perkins was an American rockabilly musician who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning during 1954...
and Luther Ingram
Luther Ingram
Luther Ingram was an American R&B and soul singer and songwriter.-Career:Born Luther Thomas Ingram in Jackson, Tennessee, his early interest in music led to him making his first record in 1965 at the age of 28. His first three recordings failed to chart but that changed when he signed for KoKo...
; game show host Wink Martindale
Wink Martindale
Winston Conrad Martindale , known professionally as Wink Martindale, is an American disc jockey and television game show host.-Radio:...
; football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
players Ed "Too Tall" Jones , Al Wilson
Al Wilson
Aldra Kauwa Wilson is a former American football linebacker of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos 31st overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee....
, Trey Teague
Trey Teague
Fred Everette Teague III or Trey Teague is an American football center who is currently a free agent in the National Football League, unlikely to play at the age of 36...
, and Jabari Greer
Jabari Greer
Jabari Amin Greer is an American football cornerback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Tennessee....
; pianist Joe Hunter
Joe Hunter (musician)
Joseph Edward Hunter Born in Jackson, Tennessee was an African-American musician, known for his recording session work as a pianist in Motown Records' in-house studio band, the Funk Brothers. One of the original Funk Brothers, Hunter served as band director for the band from 1959 until 1964, when...
(one of the Funk Brothers studio band who played on many Motown hits in the 1960s) and the rock band Full Devil Jacket
Full Devil Jacket
Full Devil Jacket was an American nu metal band that started as the Voodoo Hippies when Josh Brown, Mike Reaves, Kevin Bebout, and Keith Foster all met at Josh Brown’s brother’s tattoo shop in Jackson, Tennessee. Jonathan Montoya was the last addition to the band as the second guitarist.Before...
. Micajah Autry
Micajah Autry
Micajah Autry was an American merchant, poet and lawyer who died in the Texas Revolution at the Battle of the Alamo.-Biography:...
, one of the heroes of The Alamo, practiced law in Jackson from 1831-35.
Aviator Steve Fossett
Steve Fossett
James Stephen Fossett was an American commodities trader, businessman, and adventurer. Fossett is the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon...
, the first man to fly solo nonstop around the world in a hot air balloon, was born in Jackson. Lauren Pritchard (singer)
Lauren Pritchard (singer)
Lauren Pritchard is an American soul singer, songwriter and actress, currently based in London, England.Born and raised in Jackson, Tennessee, Pritchard began writing songs when she was just 14 years old. She then moved to Los Angeles at 16, where she lived with Lisa-Marie Presley and tried to...
was born and spent her childhood in Jackson. Actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Christopher Jones
Christopher Jones (actor)
William "Billy" Frank Jones, better known as Christopher Jones, is an American character actor, born August 18, 1941 in Jackson, Tennessee....
was born in Jackson. Jackson was also the original home of Monroe Dunaway Anderson
Monroe Dunaway Anderson
Monroe Dunaway Anderson was a banker and cotton trader from Jackson, Tennessee. With his brother-in-law, William L. Clayton, Anderson built Anderson, Clayton & Co into the world's biggest cotton company. In the event of one of their deaths, the partnership would lose a large amount of money to...
(a cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
trader and capitalist
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
whose financial endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
helped found the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
), and of Isaac Burton Tigrett
Isaac Tigrett
Isaac Tigrett of Jackson, Tennessee is a businessman best known as founder of Hard Rock Café and House of Blues.Tigrett belonged to a well-to-do business family. He was raised in Tennessee until the age of fifteen...
, co-founder of the Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
chain of themed restaurants.Musician Gil Scott-Heron
Gil Scott-Heron
Gilbert "Gil" Scott-Heron was an American soul and jazz poet, musician, and author known primarily for his work as a spoken word performer in the 1970s and '80s...
was born in Chicago, Illinois, but spent his early childhood in Jackson, the home of his maternal grandmother. Blues harmonica player John Lee Curtis Williamson, better known as Sonny Boy Williamson
Sonny Boy Williamson I
Sonny Boy Williamson was an American blues harmonica player and singer, and the first to use the name Sonny Boy Williamson.-Biography and career:...
, was born in Jackson. Environmental
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
advocate, civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
activist, and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
Van Jones
Van Jones
Anthony Kapel "Van" Jones is an American environmental advocate, civil rights activist, and attorney. Jones is a co-founder of three non-profit organizations. In 1996, he founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, a California non-governmental organization working for alternatives to violence...
was born in Jackson.
Rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
musician Carl Perkins
Carl Perkins
Carl Lee Perkins was an American rockabilly musician who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning during 1954...
was born in Lake County, but lived for a long time in Jackson. Jackson’s Civic Center is named for him. When he died in January 1998, his funeral, held in the chapel of Lambuth University
Lambuth University
Lambuth University was a liberal arts university located in Jackson, Tennessee. It was supported by the Memphis Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Lambuth's athletic teams participated in the NAIA's TranSouth and Mid-South Conferences...
, was attended by musicians including Ricky Skaggs
Ricky Skaggs
Rickie Lee "Ricky" Skaggs is a country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, and banjo.-Early career:...
, Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers
Johnny Rivers is an American rock and roll singer, songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. His styles include folk songs, blues, and revivals of old-time rock 'n' roll songs and some original material...
, Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Ellen Judd is an American country music singer. Her solo albums and singles are all credited to the singular name Wynonna. Wynonna first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother, Naomi, in the country music duo The Judds...
, Sam Phillips
Sam Phillips
Samuel Cornelius Phillips , better known as Sam Phillips, was an American businessman, record executive, record producer and DJ who played an important role in the emergence of rock and roll as the major form of popular music in the 1950s...
, Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
, Rufus Thomas
Rufus Thomas
Rufus Thomas, Jr. was an American rhythm and blues, funk and soul singer and comedian fromMemphis, Tennessee, who recorded on Sun Records in the...
, Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
and George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
.
Demographics
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
that includes the Jackson metropolitan area
Jackson, Tennessee metropolitan area
The Jackson, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties - Madison and Chester - in western Tennessee, anchored by the city of Jackson...
(Chester and Madison counties) and the Humboldt micropolitan area (Gibson County), which had a combined population of 155,529 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 59,643 people, 23,503 households, and 15,135 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,205.2 people per square mile (465.3/km²). There were 25,501 housing units at an average density of 515.3 per square mile (198.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55.13% White, 42.07% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.88% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.16% of the population.
There were 23,503 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 19.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.6% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 87.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,194, and the median income for a family was $40,922. Males had a median income of $32,777 versus $23,229 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $18,495. About 14.0% of families and 17.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Interstate 40Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
goes through the city in an east-west direction, and U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....
in a north-south direction. Interstate 40 has seven exits in the city. The Jackson Transit Authority line provides intra-city bus service, while the Greyhound Bus line provides inter-city service.
McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport
McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport
McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport is a public use airport located four nautical miles west of the central business district of Jackson, a city in Madison County, Tennessee, United States. It is owned by the City of Jackson & Madison County. The airport is mostly used for general aviation...
serves the city. Pacific Wings
Pacific Wings
Pacific Wings Airlines is an American commuter airline headquartered in Dallas, Texas, United States. It operates over 90 daily scheduled departures, as well as VIP charter air services throughout Hawaii. Its main base is Kahului Airport.- History :...
, operating under the name TennesseeSkies
TennesseeSkies
TennesseeSkies is a subsidiary of Pacific Wings founded in 2009. The carrier was offered to fly to the destinations stated below on an essential air service contract. Also travelers can connect to sister carrier Georgia Skies at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport...
, began commercial service from Jackson to both Nashville and Atlanta on August 30, 2009.
Major roadways
Interstate 40Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
runs east to west from Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
to Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....
runs north to south to Gibson County and Chester County.
U.S. Route 412
U.S. Route 412
U.S. Route 412 is an east–west United States highway, first commissioned in 1982. Its route number is a "violation" of the usual AASHTO numbering scheme, as it comes nowhere near its implied "parent", US 12. U.S...
runs east from Lexington in Henderson County northwest to Dyersburg, Tennessee and I-55 to St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.
U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 70 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,385 miles from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. As can be derived from its number, it is a major east–west highway of the Southern and Southwestern United States...
or State Route 1 runs east to west to Huntington and Brownsville.
Education
K-12K-12
K–12 is a designation for the sum of primary and secondary education. It is used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand where P–12 is also commonly used...
public schools in the city are operated by the Jackson-Madison County School System.
Colleges and universities
- Jackson State Community CollegeJackson State Community CollegeJackson State Community College is a publicly-supported community college located in Jackson, Tennessee and operated under the auspices of the Tennessee Board of Regents. The college offers a range of two-year associate degrees in arts, science and applied-science programs...
- Lambuth UniversityLambuth UniversityLambuth University was a liberal arts university located in Jackson, Tennessee. It was supported by the Memphis Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Lambuth's athletic teams participated in the NAIA's TranSouth and Mid-South Conferences...
, a small liberal arts university, operated in Jackson for 168 years before closing in 2011. - Lane CollegeLane College-Namesake:SS Lane Victory, a World War II Victory Ship, and one of the few such ships surviving, was named for Lane College. It is now docked in San Pedro, California . It is now open as a museum.-External links:*...
- Tennessee Technology Center at Jackson
- Union UniversityUnion UniversityUnion University is a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts university located in Jackson, Tennessee, with additional campuses in Germantown, Tennessee, and Hendersonville, Tennessee...
- West Tennessee Business College
High schools
- Jackson Central-Merry High SchoolJackson Central-Merry High SchoolJackson Central-Merry High School is a public four-year high school located in Jackson, Tennessee, USA...
- Jackson Christian School
- Jackson Preparatory School
- Liberty Technology Magnet High SchoolLiberty Technology Magnet High SchoolLiberty Technology Magnet High School is a public magnet high school located in Jackson, Tennessee. It opened to students in October 2003.- History :...
- Madison Academic Magnet High SchoolMadison Academic Magnet High SchoolFor schools with a similar name, see Madison High School.Madison Academic Magnet High School is a public high school in the Jackson Madison County School System located on Allen Avenue, in Jackson, Tennessee, replacing the former West Campus of Jackson Central-Merry High School. The school was...
- North Side High SchoolNorth Side High School (Jackson, Tennessee)North Side High School is one of the five public high schools in the city of Jackson, Tennessee...
- Sacred Heart of Jesus High School
- South Side High SchoolSouth Side High School (Jackson, Tennessee)South Side High School in Jackson, Tennessee is a public high school, part of the Madison County, Tennessee school system. It was created in 1956 by the consolidation of Pinson High School, Malesus High School, J.B. Young High School and Mercer High School...
- Trinity Christian AcademyTrinity Christian AcademyTrinity Christian Academy is a conservative multidenominational Christian school in Addison, Texas, a suburb of Dallas that was founded in the late 1960s...
- University School of JacksonUniversity School of JacksonUniversity School of Jackson is a college preparatory school located in northern Jackson, Tennessee, that educates students from PreKindergarten through the 12th grade...
- Vann Drive Christian Academy
Middle schools
- Northeast Middle School
- Rose Hill Middle School
- Tigrett Middle School
- West Middle School
- North Parkway Middle School
Private schools
- The Augustine School
- University School of Jackson
- Jackson Christian School
- St. Mary's Catholic School
- Trinity Christian Academy
- Vann Drive Christian Academy
- Hines Memorial SDA School
- Jackson Preparatory School
- Sacred Heart of Jesus High School
Crime
According to Morgan Quitno's 2010 Metropolitan Crime Rate Rankings the Jackson metropolitan area had the 13th highest crime rate in the United States.The Morgan Quitno list of the "Top 25 Most Dangerous Cities of 2007", ranked Jackson's as the 9th most dangerous metropolitan area in the United States. In 2006, it had been listed as the 18th most dangerous.
Recreation, sports, and entertainment
Casey Jones Home & Railroad Museum is located in Casey Jones Village. The exhibits include a Railroad Museum with steam locomotiveSteam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s and the restored home of Casey Jones.
The Jackson Generals, a Class AA minor league baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team in the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
, and an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, played in Jackson from 1998 to 2010. The team changed its name for the 2011 season to the Jackson Generals, recalling the same name of the minor league team that played in Jackson in the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
in the early 20th century.
The Hub City Hurricanes
Hub City Hurricanes
The Hub City Hurricanes was an International Basketball League franchise based in Jackson, Tennessee, that played only during the 2007 season. The team was the first to hail from Jackson since 1995.-Season-by-season:...
of the IBL
International Basketball League (2005-)
The International Basketball League is a professional men's spring basketball league featuring teams from the West Coast, Rocky Mountains, Western Canada, and the Midwest. In 2010 the Albany Legends became the first team in the Northeastern United States...
played in Jackson for one season in 2007.
In 1974, a little league team from Jackson played in the Little League World Series
Little League World Series
The Little League Baseball World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 11 to 13 years old. It was originally called the National Little League Tournament and was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. It was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South...
in Williamsport, PA—to date, the only team from West Tennessee to qualify.
From 1990-2011, Jackson hosted the NAIA Women's Division I National Championship
NAIA national women's basketball championship
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Women's Basketball National Championship has been held annually since 1981. It was established one year before the NCAA Women's Basketball tournament. It was created to crown a women's national title for smaller colleges and universities. Since...
basketball tournament in the Oman Arena
Oman Arena
The Oman Arena is a 5,600-seat multi-purpose arena, in Jackson, Tennessee, USA. It was opened in 1967.The arena is located between the campuses of Madison Academic Magnet High School and Jackson Central-Merry High School, in central Jackson.In the 1980's, it was renamed in honor of the late Tury...
.
Jackson hosts the annual Miss Tennessee
Miss Tennessee
The Miss Tennessee competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss America pageant.-History:...
Scholarship Pageant at the Carl Perkins Civic Center.
West Tennessee Healthcare Sportsplex is a travel baseball and softball complex completed in 2007. It hosts numerous tournaments throughout the year and has contributed to the growth explosion of the northeast corridor of the city.