As the state capital and the state's largest capital, Jackson is at the vanguard of what is going on in the state of Mississippi. Founded in 1822 and originally known as LeFleur's Bluff, this city was created to fill the need for a centrally located capital for the Magnolia State. Named after the iconic Southern figure and future American president, General Andrew Jackson, this city has had a long and fascinating past as the site of some of America's most important events.

Originally planned by Peter Van Dorn in the the checkerboard pattern that Thomas Jefferson praised, in which city blocks alternate with open spaces like parks, to give the city a checkerboard look, Jackson is home to 54 city parks and facilities that cover approximately 2,300 acres of land.

The city that witnessed the passage of the first state law allowing married women to own and administer their own property, Jackson underwent a radical transformation once it was sacked and looted during the Civil War.

However, Jackson has revived since that tumultuous time to become of the preeminent cities of the American South. Located on the Pearl River, Jackson is home to approximately 185,000 residents. However, if you were to count its suburbs, the metropolitan area of Jackson would equal a population of over 300,000 residents.