Jackson, California
Motto: "Preserving our past, enriching our present, building our future"
Coordinates: 38°20′56″N 120°46′27″W / 38.34889, -120.77417
Country	United States
State	California
County	Amador
Settled	1848
County Seat, Amador County	1854
Incorporated	1905
Government
- Mayor	Drew Stidger
- Vice Mayor	Andy Rodriguez
- State Senate	Dave Cox (R)
- State Assembly	Alan Nakanishi (R)
- U. S. Congress	Dan Lungren (R)
Area
- Total	3.5 sq mi (9.1 km²)
- Land	3.5 sq mi (9.1 km²)
- Water	0 sq mi (0 km²)  0%
Elevation [1]	1,217 ft (371 m)
Population (2007)[2]
- Total	4,317
- Density	1,233.4/sq mi (474.4/km²)
Time zone	PST (UTC-8)
- Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP code	95642
Area code(s)	209
FIPS code	06-36980
GNIS feature ID	1658849
Website: www.ci.jackson.ca.us

Jackson is the county seat of Amador County, California. The population was 3,989 at the 2000 census. The town is accessible by both State Route 49 and State Route 88.

Geography and geology

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.1 km²), all of it land. Jackson Creek traverses the city. Alluvial soils such as Pardee Cobbly Loam is found throughout the Jackson area.

History

Historic Firehouse, Downtown, Jackson, CA

The area was inhabited by the Northern Sierra Indians, who occupied areas along creeks, spring and seep areas, including permanent and seasonal drainages, flat ridges and terraces. Therefore, areas along watercourses are considered likely locations for prehistoric cultural resources. Permanent villages were usually placed on elevations above seasonal flood levels. Surrounding areas were used for hunting and seed, acorn, and grass gathering.

Jackson, named after Colonel Alden Jackson, was founded in 1848 around a year-round spring. Settlement of the region by American pioneers was stimulated by the discovery of gold in the Sierra foothills around 1848. The settlement was named for a local lawyer who was liked by miners named Alden Appola Moore Jackson. Although Amador County was an important mining center, its County seat of Jackson was not typical of the early gold camps. The camp grew quickly, as besides being a popular mining spot, it was also a convenient stopping place on the road from Sacramento to the Southern Mines. The camp became an important supply and transportation center for the neighboring towns, and by 1850 the population had reached an estimated 1,500. Jackson grew first as a watering hole for cattle, then as one of the earliest and most durable of the Mother Lode's hardrock mining areas.

Memorial Clock, Jackson, CA

In 1853, Jackson became the county seat of newly formed Amador County, California. Previously, from 1851-1852, it had been the county seat of Calaveras County. Jackson may therefore be the only city to have ever been county seat of two different counties at different times.^[3]

Placer mining gave out by the 1860s, replaced by hard rock mining. One of the town's most prominent historical landmarks, the Kennedy Mine, began operation in 1860; at the time of its closure during World War II in 1942, it was the deepest gold mine in North America, at 1802 meters; (5912 feet). On August 27, 1922 47 miners became trapped when a fire broke out in the Argonaut mine. All 47 men died in the fire but it wasn't until over a year later that the last body was recovered. The Argonaut mine incident was the worst gold mine disaster in US history.

In Oct, 1942 the US government passed the War Production Board Limitation Order which signaled the demise of gold mining in California. The government needed men for the war and gold was not considered a strategic war metal.

Landmarks

• Argonaut and Kennedy Mines, California Historical Landmark #786
• Butte Store (CHL #39)—The only structure remaining of Butte City, prosperous mining town of the 1850s
• Jackson Gate (CHL #118)—Jackson Gate, on the north fork of Jackson Creek, takes its name from a fissure in a reef of rock that crosses the creek. In 1850 about 500 miners worked here and the first mining ditch in the county was dug here; its water sold for $1 per inch.
• Site of Jackson's Pioneer Jewish Synagogue (CHL #865—On September 18, 1857, Congregation B'nai Israel of Jackson dedicated on this site the first synagogue in the Mother Lode. High holy day worship continued until 1869 when the larger Masonic Hall was used to accommodate the congregation. The wooden structure then served as a schoolhouse until 1888. Relocated onto a nearby lot, it became a private dwelling, and was razed in 1948.
• Pioneer Hall (CHL #34)—The Order of Native Daughters of the Golden West was organized on these premises, the site of the Pioneer Hall, on September 11, 1886.

Points of Interest

Main Street, Jackson, CA

The City of Jackson in California is the center of trade and industry in Amador County. The majority of the shopping centers, government offices, and many businesses are located in Jackson and its neighbor town Martell.

• Jackson Main Street - antique shops
• Jackson Rancheria - casino and hotel
• Underground caves with tours
• Outdoor Activities - camping, picnicking, etc

Demographics

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 3,989 people, 1,746 households, and 1,023 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,135.8 people per square mile (438.8/km²). There were 1,859 housing units at an average density of 529.3/sq mi (204.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.53% White, 0.50% Black or African American, 1.38% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.86% from other races, and 2.08% from two or more races. 6.47% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,746 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the city the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 28.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 80.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,944, and the median income for a family was $45,887. Males had a median income of $40,444 versus $35,083 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,399. About 4.1% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

References

• C. Michael Hogan, Gary Deghi et al., Scottsville Project Environmental Impact Report, Jackson California, Earth Metrics Inc., Report 7562, Sept., 1989
• Amador. California Historical Landmarks. Office of Historic Preservation. Retrieved on 2005-09-16.

External links

• City of Jackson web site

• Jackson, California is at coordinates 38°21′03″N 120°46′26″W / 38.350688, -120.773762 (Jackson, California)Coordinates: 38°21′03″N 120°46′26″W / 38.350688, -120.773762 (Jackson, California)

v â€¢ d â€¢ e Municipalities and communities of Amador County, California
County seat: Jackson
Cities	Amador City | Ione | Jackson | Plymouth | Sutter Creek
Unincorporated communities	Buckhorn | Buena Vista | Drytown | Fiddletown | Ham's Station | Martell | Pine Grove | Pioneer | Volcano