Jackson County, North Carolina

Year Established

County Seat

Significance of County Name

Population (2020)

1851

Sylva

Andrew Jackson

43,109

Legislative Act Creating County

First Settled / By

County Evolution by Decade

Official County Website

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1796 / English/Welsh

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Historical Post Offices

American Revolution

American Civil War

Significant Education Events

Alphabetical / Date Started

None

Battles & Skirmishes / Troops

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Airports in Jackson County

Maps of Jackson County

Books About Jackson County

Genealogy Sources

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A History of Jackson County


Jackson County Court House - Sylva, North Carolina


Jackson County was formed from Haywood and Macon counties in 1851. 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 in North Carolina.

Jackson County's 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 court house was erected. In 1901, 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 court house.

Jackson County was named in honor of Andrew Jackson, who won an overwhelming victory from the British at New Orleans in 1815 and who was twice elected as President of the United States.


Jackson County is a world unto itself in the high country, it has green mountain valleys at 3,500 feet and higher, and mountain peaks raising to 5,000 above sea level. Jackson County is a land of dense forest, mountain lakes, whitewater streams, and countless waterfalls. The county slogan here is, "take time, unwind and set your own pace."

Jackson County is in the far eastern Nantahala National Forest. The southern half of Jackson County North Carolina, like Oconee County in South Carolina and Rabun County in Georgia are on the east-side of the Eastern Continental Divide. This natural watershed guides the waters of the Blue Ridge Mountains east to the Atlantic Ocean, while watershed on the western side of the Eastern Continental Divide guides the mountain waters to the Gulf of Mexico.



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