[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 9, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





         CELEBRATING THE 200TH BIRTHDAY OF THE CITY OF JACKSON

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRADLEY BYRNE

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 9, 2016

  Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 200th birthday 
of Jackson, Alabama, which is located in Alabama's First Congressional 
District. Over the past 200 years, the City of Jackson has had a rich 
and storied history that is reflected in all of the hardworking 
residents of Jackson today.
   Situated on a rise overlooking the east bank of the Tombigbee River 
is where you will find Jackson's historic downtown. In 1815, a stock 
company, the Pine Level Land Company, was formed by a group of 
investors who believed they could promote the site to attract settlers. 
Formerly known as ``Pine Level,'' and ``Republicville,'' it was finally 
decided that the little village would be named Jackson, in honor of 
General Andrew Jackson, hero of the War of 1812 as well as the Creek 
Indian War of 1813-14, who would later become our seventh president. 
Jackson was incorporated by an act of the Mississippi Territorial 
Legislature on November 27, 1816, which also created the town's first 
governing body.
   Like many of our country's communities, Jackson has experienced both 
ups and downs throughout its history. In 1816, the prosperous Jackson 
had a population of 1,500, which was quite large for a rural frontier 
town. The town experienced growth and success through the Civil War, 
but then declined. By 1875, the town was home to only 15 families. With 
the arrival of the railroad in 1886 and the hard work and dedication of 
the people of Jackson, the town once again boomed. The railroad brought 
with it the timber industry, which was instrumental in reviving the 
tiny town. Throughout the early 20th century, Jackson experienced 
economic growth and expansion. The town experienced another setback 
during the Great Depression, but was sparked yet again by economic 
growth in the 1930s. This year is not only Jackson's 200th birthday; it 
is also a year that will bring even more success to Jackson with the 
opening of the new iSpice food manufacturing and distributing plant.
   The Post Civil War Era and the Depression could have easily led to a 
different fate for Jackson, but the people of this quaint timber town 
refused to give up on their home. The hardworking men and women of 
Jackson are not only pillars of their community, but they also 
represent the true backbone of the United States. Their hard work and 
perseverance through troubling times serves as an example that should 
be followed by all Americans. Success is not given, it is earned, and 
Jackson has earned it throughout its 200-year existence.
   Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to congratulate Jackson on its 
bicentennial.

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