The New International Encyclopædia/Jackson (Michigan)

JACK′SON. A city and the county-seat of Jackson County, Mich., 76 miles west of Detroit; on the Grand River, and on the Michigan Central, the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern, the Grand Trunk, and the Cincinnati Northern railroads (Map: Michigan, J 6). It is built on both sides of the river; the principal streets are paved with brick; and among more prominent features are the State prison, a public library, and a fine United States Government building. Jackson is the centre of a productive farming region, and coal and fire-clay exist in the vicinity. It has a considerable trade in agricultural produce, and is also an important wholesale distributing point, especially for reaping and mowing machines. Its extensive manufactures include foundry and machine-shop products, carriages and wagons, agricultural implements, milling machinery, flour, sewer-pipe, fire-brick, paper, corsets, etc. The Michigan Central Railroad has large car and machine shops here. Under a revised charter of 1897, the government is vested in a mayor, annually elected, a city council, and administrative departments, all governed by boards which are appointed by the executive. The water-works are owned and operated by the municipality. Jackson was settled in 1829, but it did not develop rapidly until after railroad communication was opened by the Michigan Central in 1841. It was chartered as a city in 1857. Population, in 1890, 20,798; in 1900, 25,180.