Smith Park in downtown Jackson, Mississippi, was established in 1838 when the state donated the land to the city. Named after Scottish industrialist James Smith, who donated money for a park fence in 1884, the park underwent a redesign in the 1970s, which included the addition of an amphitheater and an artificial stream. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and declared a Mississippi Landmark in 2017.
“I don’t think people recognize the history that we have right here in our state,” shared Downtown Jackson Partners President Liz Brister. “Smith Park was established in 1838, making it one of the oldest parks in America. Smith Park in Jackson even predates Central Park in New York City!”
Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809, had a model for building cities that influenced the development of Jackson, Mississippi. Jefferson believed you should leave empty green spaces on every other block. Jackson, Mississippi, was actually laid out to have these green spaces on every other block when downtown Jackson began development…