Jackson

Formed January 12, 1852 (11^th county)

Jackson County (223,262), Medford (85,858)

A masonry and concrete Art Deco and Stripped Classical building is the Jackson County courthouse.  The structure is on Oakdale Avenue at 8^th Street.  Oregon State Highway 99 is six blocks to the east.  The courthouse was constructed in 1932 and an Annex was added in 1954.  John G. Link is the building designer.  It features faux columns.  A Justice Building was added in 1978.  Jacksonville had the original courthouse dating from 1884 and Medford became the seat in 1927.  The county was formed on January 12, 1852 from Lane County as the 11^th county.  Jackson County is named for United States President Andrew Jackson.  The county seat is named for Medford, Massachusetts. 

Jackson County government consists of a treasurer, a sheriff, an attorney, an administrator, and a clerk (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Nine District Court Judges serve Jackson County (judicial.)  The county is on the southwest border with California.  Eugene, Oregon is north and Bend, Oregon is northeast of the county.  The county center is 6.4 miles East of Medford.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Douglas and Klamath counties and California and Josephine County. 

The area of the county is 2785 square miles.  It is 13 out of 36 in the state.  It ranks 6 out of 36 in population in the state.  It has a density of 80.2 persons per square mile making it 9 out of 36 in the state.  Jackson County has 70.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 5 enters the county from Josephine County, west, and exits into California, south.  The county is a rectangle with the northwest corner cut off.  Medford is located in the southwest quarter of the county.  Medford is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 38.5% of the county population.  This county is in the Medford Metropolitan Statistical Area.