Jackson County was established on December 13, 1819, after the federal government arranged a treaty to remove the Cherokee from the area and extinguish their land claims.

Of special interest is Russell Cave National Monument, which is located in Doran Cove, approximately 5 miles west of the town of Bridgeport.

It is believed to offer "one of the most complete records of prehistoric culture in the southeast United States.

The cave is an important archaeological site that was excavated in 1956 by the Smithsonian Institution and the National Geographic Society.

The October 1956 issue of National Geographic Magazine featured an article reporting, "Life 8,000 Years Ago Uncovered in an Alabama Cave."

In 2000, the largest ancestry groups in Jackson County were English 69.1%, Scots-Irish 5.21%, Scottish 4.67%, and African 3.74%.

Steve Livingston serves Jackson County in the Alabama State Senate.

In 2004, Jackson County voted for Republican George W. Bush over Democrat John Kerry.

It was the first time Jackson County voters had chosen a Republican presidential candidate over a Democrat since 1972.

In 2008, Republican presidential nominee John McCain won the county with 67.7 percent of the vote.

[22] However, Democratic politicians continued to be elected to local positions such as County Sheriff and the school board.

[23] The current Jackson County Commission is headed by Chairman General Willie Nance Jr.