For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans.

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 sq mi (19,000 km2).

In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 sq mi (2,140,000 km2) Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

[5] Jackson County is included in the Topeka Metropolitan Statistical Area.

22.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Jackson County has supported the Republican Party candidate in every presidential election from 1936 onward.

Following an amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 2004, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.

The city of Holton is considered governmentally independent and is excluded from the census figures for the townships.