Jackson

Formed January 1, 1853 (42^nd county)

Jackson County (21,142), Black River Falls (3,522)

The tan brick and stone Neo-Classical courthouse was built in 1878 and remodeled in 1937.  It is at the intersection of Main and 3^rd streets.  Main Street is Wisconsin State Highway 54 in the town.  Nowland and Wilcox provided the designs.  The building was enlarged in 1937 and 1966.  The facility sits on a hill.  The county was established on January 1, 1853 from La Crosse County as the 42^nd county with Black River Falls as the only county seat.  It is named for United States President Andrew Jackson.  Black River Falls was named for the local river falls. 

Jackson County government consists of a sheriff and 19 Supervisors.  One Circuit Court Judge serves Jackson County.  The county is in western Wisconsin.  Madison, Wisconsin is southeast and Minneapolis, Minnesota is northwest of the county.  The county center is 3.2 miles North-Northeast of Black River Falls.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Clark, Wood, Juneau, Monroe, La Crosse, Trempealeau, and Eau Claire counties. 

The area of the county is 987.7 square miles.  It is 15 out of 72 in the state.  It ranks 50 out of 72 in population in the state.  It has a density of 21.4 persons per square mile making it 59 out of 72 in the state.  Jackson County has 28.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 94 enters the county from the northwest, Trempealeau County, and exits to the south, Monroe County.  United States Highway 10 crosses the northwest corner from east to west from Clark County to Trempealeau County.  United States Highway 12 comes from the north, Eau Claire County, goes to the east, Clark County, reenters and parallels Interstate Highway 94 into Monroe County.  The county looks like a hammer.  Black River Falls is located in the southwest quarter of the county.  Black River Falls is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 16.7% of the county population.