It was the home of the Jackson Academy, which became Lees College.
History
Upon the creation of Breathitt County in 1839, local landowner Simon Cockrell Sr. donated 10 acres (4.0 ha) to serve as its seat of government. The community was originally known as Breathitt, Breathitt Town, or Breathitt Court House after the county, but upon its incorporation as a city by the state legislature in 1843,[5] it was renamed Jackson to honor former presidentAndrew Jackson.[6][7]
Local feuds led the national press to publish stories about Jackson and "Bloody Breathitt": state troops were dispatched twice in the 1870s and again in 1903 – after the assassination of U.S. Commissioner James B. Marcum on the courthouse steps[8] – to restore order.[7]
The Kentucky Union Railroad reached the city in 1891, and Jackson boomed until the L&N continued the line on to Hazard in 1912. A fire on Halloween, 1913, burned down much of the town.[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, Jackson has a total area of 2.7 square miles (6.9 km2), of which 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2), or 6.11%, is water.[4]
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by relatively moderate temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The Köppen climate classification places the city in the humid subtropical zone, which is abbreviated as Cfa.[10] The normal monthly mean temperature ranges from 34.9 °F (1.6 °C) in January to 75.4 °F (24.1 °C) in July. On average, there are 17 days where temperatures remain at or below freezing and 15 days with highs at or above 90 °F (32 °C) per year. In addition, although the area falls under USDA hardiness zone 6b,[11] the record longest streak without 0 °F (−18 °C) lows occurred from February 6, 1996, to January 15, 2009 (12 years, 344 days).[12] The highest recorded temperature was 104 °F (40 °C) on June 29, 2012, and the lowest recorded temperature was −18 °F (−28 °C) on January 19, 1994, and January 20 and 21, 1985.[12]
Precipitation averages 48.3 inches (1,230 mm) annually, falling on an average 144 days, and the wettest month by normal rainfall is May.[13] Normal winter snowfall is 23.5 inches (60 cm),[13] though, as is typical in areas in the humid subtropical zone, snow cover does not remain for long, as there is an average of only 18 days with at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of snow cover.[13]
As of 2020, Jackson, KY had a population of 2.2k people with a median age of 42 and a median household income of $32,644. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Jackson, KY grew from 2,106 to 2,201, a 4.51% increase and its median household income grew from $30,898 to $32,644, a 5.65% increase.
The 5 largest ethnic groups in Jackson, KY are White (Non-Hispanic) (98.9%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.04%), White (Hispanic) (0.0454%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (0%), and Black or African American (Hispanic) (0%).[16]
Transportation
Kentucky Routes within the city
KY 15 The highway goes north to Campton and the Mountain Parkway and south to Hazard and the Hal Rogers Parkway. It is the main artery into the city and, currently, it is being relocated and changed to four lanes around and inside the city. It has been locally named (within the county) as the Breathitt County Veterans Highway.
KY 30 The highway goes east to Salyersville and west to Booneville. It merges with KY 15 (at the present time) throughout most of the city. The west end is known, locally, as Booneville Road.
KY 52 The highway's eastern terminus starts in the city of Jackson at the intersection with KY 30 and heads west towards Beattyville. It is locally known as Beattyville Road.
KY 205 The highway goes north to the Mountain Parkway by way of Lee City in Wolfe County and eventually to West Liberty in Morgan County. The highway's southern terminus starts at the intersection of KY 15. Recently, an old section of KY 15 was annexed to the highway, and it is possible, once more of the re-routed KY 15 is finished, that it could annex more of the old KY 15 sections.
KY 1812 -Not a Primary State Highway – The highway goes north to Campton and south to intersect and end near the KY 15 and KY 30 junction in Jackson. In the north, it connects with KY 205 and follows it until it intersects with the new section of KY 15; it follows KY 15 for a mile and then splits only to intersects KY 15 in Jackson once more; it then breaks away only to connect (partially) with Main Street and then heads south. It is part of what was once the original KY 15 when it was built in 1925. It can be a winding and curvy road in many places with a few hairpin turns as well. It is known locally by different names depending on which road it intersects or what section. i.e. Old Quicksand Rd., Broadway, College Ave, Brown St., Main Street, Washington Ave., Panbowl Rd., and so on.
Airports
Julian Carroll Airport – (JKL for FAA, none for IATA) – A publicly owned airport off KY 30. It is home to the National Weather Service Forecast Office that oversees most of the eastern part of the state.
Railroads
CSX is a freight and minerals only line that goes north to Beattyville and eventually to Winchester and south to Hazard. Before CSX owned the line, it was part of the L& N Railway as a passenger and freight line. Before that, it was owned by the defunct Lexington and Eastern Railway Company as a passenger and freight line. The old Jackson Depot and Freight Station located in the South Jackson section on Armory Drive was torn down in the late 1980s.
Eugene Sebastian Middle School – Closed after the '17-18 school year all students relocated to the High School.- located in Jackson
There is a private school, Oakdale Christian Academy.[19]
There is a vocational school called Breathitt County Area Technology Center – On the campus of Breathitt County High School; the vocational school serves both Breathitt County Schools and Jackson Independent Schools.
Breathitt County Museum – currently located in the Senior Citizens Center on the second floor. Through the use of grant money the defunct Breathitt County Jail has been partially renovated to host the museum, but is yet to be completed.
The city of Jackson and Breathitt County are host to many local festivals.
In Jackson:
Breathitt County Honey Festival – takes place annually (since 1978) during the Labor Day Weekend. It begins on the Thursday before Labor Day and runs through Labor Day.
Breathitt County Heritage Festival – A recently formed (2005) festival that originally occurred annually on the first weekend of October, and now takes place in conjunction with the July 4th celebration with "Pig Out in the Park."[21]
Pig Out in the Park/Independence Day Celebration – Held at Douthitt Park; July 4 celebration
Downtown Christmas – Parade and festivities held around the first weekend of December.
Other festivals that occur outside the city but in Breathitt County:
Morris Fork Crafts Fair, one of the oldest fairs in the area
The Crockettsville Charity Concert and Ride, hosted by the band Halfway to Hazard (Unfortunately, this event has not occurred the last couple years and the hosts announced in 2016 they will secure a new venue for this concert and trail ride in the future.)[22]
^ abcd"Station: Jackson, KY". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
