About
Jackson County
The History
of Jackson County, Missouri
Source:
Drury University
In the earliest days of recorded history,
French trappers traveled the river and
learned the secrets from the Osage Indians
who first called this land home. Kansas
City which was established as the Town of
Kansas, was named after the Kanza Indians
which inhabited the area along with the
Hopewell, Shawnee, and Delaware tribes. In
1803, what is now Jackson County became
United States territory, a part of the
most valuable property deal in history,
the Louisiana Purchase.
The state of Missouri was admitted to the
Union in 1821. In the same year, Francois
Chouteau, a French fur trader from St.
Louis, arrived in the region. He created
an American Fur Company at Kawsmouth
(where the Kaw runs from the Missouri).
But 5 years later, the post was destroyed
by a flood. He never left the area and
moved upriver into Missouri along what is
now Troost Ave. At this time, Jackson
County was not part of the state, but the
treaty of 1826 added this land at a cost
of $800.00. Townships were surveyed in
1826, and in 1827 the county was formed
and named for our seventh president,
Andrew Jackson. On December 15, 1826, the
Missouri General Assembly organized
Jackson County.
In 1838, a small piece of land was bought
along the Missouri River in northern
Jackson County by the "Town Company,"
which established "Westport Landing"
(today Westport). The area outside of
Westport Landing was renamed the "Town of
Kansas," after the local Kanza Indians, in
1839. The town was incorporated by the
State of Missouri as the "City of Kansas"
in 1853. In 1889, with a population of
around 60,000, the city adopted a new
charter and changed its name to Kansas
City. In 1897, Kansas City annexed
Westport.
The county features prominently in the
History of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. Joseph Smith, Jr.
taught that the Garden of Eden was located
in what is now Jackson County
During the Civil War, most of the county
(except the portion known then as "Kaw
Township" - today the heart of Kansas
City) was burned to the ground General
Order No. 11 (1863).
Today, with more than 650,000 residents
living within its 611 square miles, the
county is home to 37% of the metropolitan
area's residents, 42% of its jobs and more
than 50% of its top employers. Jackson
County is among the leading Kansas City
area counties that continues to add
population.
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