A Brief History of Jackson, Mississippi

The area that is now Jackson was first settled in 1792 by Louis LeFleur, a French-Canadian trader. Originally known as LeFleur's Bluff, the city 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, Natchez, had sent Thomas Hinds (for whom Hinds County is named), James Patton, and William Lattimore to look for a site. After surveying areas north and east of Jackson, they proceeded southwest along the Pearl River until they reached LeFleur's Bluff in Hinds County. 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 Natchez Trace. 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. It is named for the seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jackson, in recognition for his victory in the War of 1812 in the Battle of New Orleans.