For over 20 years, Pamela Lanier's Jackson, Mississippi Travel Guide has been your connection to Jackson's tourism community with invaluable details on local attractions, restaurants, shopping, museums, history, outdoor recreation and more.
A Rich Historical Background
The city was first founded as LeFleur’s Bluff by a French-Canadian trader Louis LeFleur, who also lends his name to LeFleur's Bluff State Park. The city became the Mississippi state capital in 1821 and was renamed Jackson after the seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson. During the Civil War, Jackson served as a strategic rallying point for the Confederate forces. This caused the city to be the target for Union troops, and the city was burned three times, earning it the nickname “Chimneyville”. Because of the repeated burnings, only a few antebellum structures are still intact, including the Governor’s Mansion and the Old Capitol Building, which bed and breakfast travelers can still see today. A few Union artillery emplacements also remain and can be found around the city at sites like the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Millsaps College. A short drive away, The Vicksburg National Military Park memorializes one of the most crucial battles in the Civil War.
After the turn of the century, Jackson, MS settled into a calmer era and gave rise to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty. The Eudora Welty House is now a National Historic Landmark and is available for tours by reservation. Why not heighten your experience by staying in a period bed and breakfast lodging.
The Civil Rights era found Jackson, MS once again the center of tumult. Because it is the state capital, Civil Rights activists held large demonstrations in Jackson. On May 24, 1961 more than 300 Freedom Riders were arrested and the Freedom Ride was cut short in Jackson. Since then Jackson has become decidedly more forward-looking while still retaining its delightful Southern charm.
