Looking for a Horse

The town of Jackson was founded in 1815 as the seat of justice for Feliciana Parish before the parish was divided into East and West. The town was a major commercial center and a center for education, earning it the title "Athens of the South". Legend holds that the town was originally called "Bear Corners" for the many wild black bears crossing nearby Thompson Creek, and that it eventually took its name from General Andrew Jackson, who reportedly camped there with his troops on the return trip north after the 1815 Battle of New Orleans. [ citation needed ] Jackson was the parish seat only until 1824, when Feliciana Parish was split into two parishes, with Clinton selected as the new seat of government in East Feliciana. Jackson was the location of the College of Louisiana from 1825 until 1845, and then the Methodist-affiliated Centenary College from 1845 until 1908, when it relocated to Shreveport.