Jackson County

Jackson County is an administrative district in eastern Tennessee covering roughly 320 square miles (830 square kilometers) of rolling terrain, forests, and river valleys. The region is organized around small towns with Gainesboro as the county seat, where public buildings and local businesses are concentrated.

The county was established in 1801 as Tennessee's 18th county, developing around Fort Blount, a military outpost built in the 1790s along the Cumberland River. This early settlement became the foundation for how the region developed over the following centuries.

Gainesboro serves as the heart of local gatherings and community events where residents maintain regional traditions throughout the year. Visitors can observe how neighborhoods celebrate together and keep traditions alive in their everyday social life.

The area can be accessed and explored via Tennessee State Routes 53, 56, 85, and 135, which connect the region to surrounding counties. Gainesboro is the best starting point for visitors seeking services and local information.

A courthouse fire in Gainesboro in 1872 destroyed much of the county's early administrative records, making it difficult to trace certain aspects of its founding period. This loss means that the earliest decades of the county's history rely heavily on scattered surviving documents and oral traditions.

Location: Tennessee

Inception: 1801

Capital city: Gainesboro

Shares border with: Clay County, Overton County, Putnam County, Smith County, Macon County

Website: http://jacksoncotn.com

GPS coordinates: 36.36000,-85.67000

Latest update: December 7, 2025 19:22