Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,653. Its county seat is Jackson. The county is named for Andrew Jackson, a hero of the War of 1812 who was subsequently elected President of the United States. It is known as "The Little Wales of Ohio".
History
Jackson County is north of the Ohio River in eastern Ohio, an area that was long occupied by various tribes of Native Americans. Evidence of this era in the Ohio Valley is found in the area's large burial and ceremonial mounds and petroglyphs including the Leo Petroglyph.
Tribes that inhabited the area in the Colonial period included with Mingo, Lenape, and Shawnee. Westward expansion by American pioneers displaced the Indigenous People who were killed in wars or relocated to the Great Plains and placed on reservations following the passage of the Indian Removal Act. The pioneer settlers cleared the land for farming and developed industries around which towns and cities grew.
Adjacent counties
- Vinton County (north)
- Gallia County (east)
- Lawrence County (south)
- Scioto County (southwest)
- Pike County (west)
- Ross County (northwest)
National protected areas
- Wayne National Forest (part)