Come sample the South in Jackson, Mississippi …
There's no better way to sample the South than Jackson, Mississippi. A blend of the old and the new, Jackson offers glimpses of the past while looking ahead to the future. From the fabulous history and beautiful museums to the world-class exhibits and performances, Jackson is a secret full of surprises!
Location, Location, Location
Mississippi's Capital City is conveniently located at the crossroads of Interstate 55 (north-south) and Interstate 20 (east-west) in the heart of our "Hospitality State." As the center for the Metro Jackson area, home to more than 425,000 people, the city of Jackson is steeped in history, music, performing arts, sports and our truly Southern way of life.
With 5,500 first-class hotel rooms, your lodging needs will be taken care of. Choose from restored historic bed and breakfast inns to extended stay facilities to properties offering the modern amenities required by the business traveler. The 400+ restaurants in the Jackson metro area offer everything from true Southern cuisine to Thai, Caribbean and everything in between.
Jackson is easily accessible. The Jackson International Airport is the commercial airport serving Mississippi's Capital City with daily flights operated by American Eagle, ASA, ComAir, Continental Express, Delta, Northwest, Southwest and US Airways Express.
A Touch of History
Founded in 1821 at the site of a trading post on a high bluff on the west bank of the Pearl River, Jackson was originally a village called LeFleur's Bluff, named after French-Canadian explorer and trader Louis LeFleur.
When the Mississippi legislature wanted a central site for the state's capital, the village's proximity to navigable water, abundant timber, and the Natchez Trace made the area a logical choice. On December 23, 1822, the state assembly met for the first time in the new and permanent seat of government for Mississippi, and the town was renamed Jackson in honor of Major General Andrew Jackson who later became the 7th President of the United States. The city was designed following Thomas Jefferson's "checkerboard" layout with alternating squares for business, residential, and "green space."
In its first 100 years, Jackson's growth was painfully slow. Under the command of Major General William Tecumseh Sherman, the city was ravaged and burned three times by Union Troops during the Civil War. This is where Jackson got its nickname "Chimneyville." Fortunately, the Governor's Mansion (completed in 1842), City Hall (built in 1846) and the Old Capitol (built in 1839) were spared.
As the state capitol, the city of Jackson played an important role in politics and government during its first century – a role it still holds today. And even though Jackson was a focal point of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, its residents banded together to bring about positive changes from the troublesome era. Today, the city boasts one of the few Civil Rights Driving Tours in the United States and the Old Capitol Museum created the first Civil Rights Exhibit in the country.
Arts & Culture
Attractions are aplenty in Jackson! From downtown walking tours of historic sites to live animals at the Jackson Zoo and the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, there is always something to see or do. Jackson's museums range from Old South history to modern art and from sports to Jewish and Muslim culture.
Jackson boasts one of the strongest performing arts offerings for a city its size. With the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, the Mississippi Opera, Ballet Mississippi, Ballet Magnificat! and New Stage Theatre, Jackson is truly the arts and culture capital of the state. Since 1995, Jackson has had the honor of presenting breathtaking international art exhibitions. Held every two to three years, the exhibitions have featured paintings, furniture, tapestries, jewelry, sculptures and china from cities all over the world. And Jackson is the ONLY city in the United States to host these spectacular works. Previous exhibitions have included The Palaces of St. Petersburg (1996), The Splendors of Versailles (1998), and The Majesty of Spain (2001) as well as The Glory of Baroque Dresden (2004).
With our temperate climate, Jackson is ideal for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether tennis, golf, biking or fishing are your interest, Jackson has facilities to help you indulge your interests. Professional sports are also a favorite here with the Jackson Bandits hockey team playing from October through March and the Jackson Senators baseball team taking the field from May through August. Area colleges and universities offer football, soccer, baseball and more!
Unique Venues
Whether meeting and convention planners are looking for hotel facilities to hold their events or want something more "truly Southern," Jackson sits ready and willing to showcase her culture and her heritage to meeting delegates. How about a catfish fry reception at the Mississippi Agriculture & Forestry Museum where attendees can stroll along the streets of Smalltown, Mississippi – a replica of a typical Mississippi town in the early 1900s? Or enjoy theatre-style meetings at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science where break-time can be spent viewing Mississippi's diverse wildlife, include some baby alligators, or strolling outdoors along the 2.5 mile nature trail. The Mississippi Fairgrounds Complex offers a bit of everything for convention and meeting delegates – a variety of hotels close by, a full-service Coliseum for large meeting/rallies, and the Mississippi Trade Mart for trade shows.
On the Horizon
In 2004 Jackson welcomes meetings and conventions to town with the new Mississippi Telecommunications Conference and Training Center. This 74,000 square-foot meeting facility will be one of the most technical, highly-wired meeting facilities in the Southeastern United States. With flexible configurations, the Telcom Center can accommodate board meetings, meetings/conferences, training sessions, and features full-service catering for meals and receptions. Plus, with efforts currently underway to create a proposed multi-million dollar convention center adjacent to the Telcom Center, Jackson will soon be poised to host meetings, conventions and trade shows of all sizes with the latest and greatest facilities and technology.
To Assist You
The Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau staff is ready to assist meetings/conventions, group tours, family reunions, and individual travelers in experiencing all that Jackson has to offer:
• To ensure that meetings and conventions in the city are a success, the Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau offers a variety of free services to meeting planners – from official invitation packets to registration assistance and publicity. We have volunteers who can handle registration for your attendees on site. We supply brochures and information on our city to you at no charge.
• For group tour operators, our staff will help with everything from securing accommodations and suggesting fabulous restaurants, to arranging itineraries and providing the "interesting trivia" on our city that makes your group's experience all the more special.
• For family reunions, we provide guidance on how to plan a successful event, help with finding hotels and other venues that best meet the needs for your family gatherings, and provide brochures and other information on our city at no charge.
• For individual travelers or families, our What's Going On visitors guide lists all the attractions and events in our city, as well as hotels and a sampling of our 300+ restaurants. This guide is FREE and can be downloaded from our website at www.visitjackson.com. Speaking of our website, it is the place to go for current listings of special events, meetings and conventions coming to our city, and the attractions that make our city so very unique.
In Jackson, we do our BEST to make sure your event or tour is the BEST. And we know that when that happens, you and your group will have truly experienced The BEST of the New South right here in Jackson. So look to Jackson for your next meeting. Once you've experienced our city, we know you won't be able to keep your experience a secret…
