JACKSON

jackson, a city and the county-seat of jackson county, michigan, u.s.a., on both sides of the grand river, 76 m. w. of detroit. pop. (1890), 20,798; (1900), 25,180, of whom 3843 were foreign-born (1004 german, 941 english canadian); (1910 census) 31,433. it is served by the michigan central, the lake shore & michigan southern, the grand trunk and the cincinnati northern railways, and by inter-urban electric lines. it is the seat of the state prison (established 1839). coal is mined in the vicinity; the city has a large trade with the surrounding agricultural district (whose distinctive product is beans); the michigan central railway has car and machine shops here; and the city has many manufacturing establishments. the total factory product in 1904 was valued at $8,348,125, an increase of 24.4% over that of 1900. the municipality owns and operates its water-works. the place was formerly a favourite camping ground of the indians, and was settled by whites in 1829. in 1830 it was laid out as a town, selected for the county-seat, and named jacksonburg in honour of andrew jackson; the present name was adopted in 1838. jackson was incorporated as a village in 1843, and in 1857 was chartered as a city. it was at a convention held at jackson on the 6th of july 1854 that the republican party was first organized and so named by a representative state body.