JACKSON COUNTY

Jackson was formed in 1851 from Haywood and Macon. It was named in honor of Andrew Jackson, who won an overwhelming victory from the British at New Orleans in 1815 and who was twice President of the United States. It is in the western section of the State and is bounded by the states of South Carolina and Georgia and Macon, Swain, Haywood and Transylvania counties. The present land area is 490.71 square miles. The population from the 2010 Census was 40,271. Of that population, 33,489 were white, 745 were black or African American, 3,804 were American Indian, 348 were Asian, 16 were Pacific Islander and 1,087 were of a different race. Another 782 were reported to be of two or more races and 2,038 were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The first court was ordered to be held at the home of Daniel Bryson, Sr., and after that session the courts were held at Allen Fisher's store until the courthouse was erected. In 1852 an act was passed authorizing an election to be held to decide on moving the county seat from Webster to Sylva. The election was held May 8,1913, and was carried by a majority of 675. Sylva furnished the site and $10,000 in cash for the new courthouse. Sylva is the county seat.

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Most of Jackson County is in the Little Tennessee River Basin. The southern part of the county is in the Savannah River Basin. Jackson County is a part of the mountain region of the state.

References:

"American Factfinder." 2011. U. S. Census Bureau. Online at http://factfinder2.census.gov/. Accessed 3/3/2011.

Corbitt, David L. 2000. The Formation of the North Carolina Counties, 1663-1943. Sixth printing. Raleigh: State Department of Archives and History.

Powell, William Stevens, and Michael R. Hill. 2010. The North Carolina gazetteer: a dictionary of Tar Heel places and their history. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.

Additional resources:

North Carolina Digital Collections (Government & Heritage Library and NC State Archives)

NC LIVE resources

NC Natural Heritage Program database

WorldCat (Searches numerous library catalogs)