Jackson is the capital of Mississippi, a state bordered by the Mississippi River to the west.
The city was founded in 1821 as a planned site for Mississippi’s government. Legislators chose land along the Pearl River, roughly near the state’s geographic center, to replace Natchez as the capital. Jackson was named for Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States.
Mississippi’s capital officially moved from Natchez to Jackson in 1822. The city later became an important center for state government, commerce, education, and transportation. Its location in central Mississippi helped connect communities across the state.
Jackson is sometimes confused with other prominent Mississippi cities, including Gulfport, the state’s largest city by population in some recent counts, and Natchez, the former capital known for its historic architecture. Jackson remains the seat of Mississippi’s state government and the location of the Mississippi State Capitol.