The Town and Village of Jackson, Wisconsin
The Town of Jackson is in the southeastern section of Washington County, about three miles south of West Bend, just north of the Village of Germantown, and on the border of Ozaukee County.
The town covers an area of about 21,810 acres. It includes both agricultural and residential areas as well as some significant wetlands. The Jackson Marsh State Wildlife Area and State Natural Area contains 2,312 acres of land, surrounding County Highway G, north of State Highway 60 and south of Pleasant Valley Road.
Origins and History
The Jackson area was first settled in the 1840s by Lutherans from Prussia who were searching for religious freedom. The town was incorporated January 21, 1846, and the first town meeting was held on April 7 the same year.
By November 1846, there were five Lutheran churches, one Methodist church, and one Catholic church in the town. The majority of the population consisted of German families as well as those of German descent. There were also 20 Irish families and only 3 American families.
In the early years, the Town of Jackson was primarily agricultural. A few small trading areas popped up with names like Kirchhayn, Reisville, and Salter. The railroad ran through Reisville, spurring some growth. This community became the Village of Jackson in 1912.
It wasn’t until the early 1920s that the first concrete highway was constructed in the western part of the township. By the 1980s the area had grown steadily and U.S. Highway 45 was converted into a four-lane freeway with limited access. This opened the area up, making it more attractive to residents who might want to live in a rural setting but commute to Milwaukee in just 20-30 minutes.
Natural Resources
Natural resources play a major role in primarily due to the ample open space, extensive wetlands, including a variety of creeks, and woodlands scattered around the town. There are even some mining resources. And, of course there is the Jackson Marsh Wildlife Area.
The topography of this region was glacially formed by deposits from about 11,000 years ago. The glacial till covers a base of Silurian dolomite bedrock which lies close enough to the surface to be exposed in many parts of the town.
The landscape is characterized by gently rolling hills intermingled with plains and wetlands. There is not much change in elevation which range from a high of about 985 feet in the northwest corner of the town to a low of 835 feet near the heart of the Jackson Marsh. The center of the Village of Jackson lies at an elevation of 896 feet.
Both the Village of Jackson and the Town of Jackson are entirely located within the Cedar Creek Watershed. This is a 126-square mile water drainage area that flows to Cedar Creek and its tributaries. The Cedar Creek Watershed lies within the Milwaukee River Basin.
One of the most valuable features of the watershed are the wetlands. This includes the Jackson Marsh and the Cedarburg Bog. About 79% of the watershed (about 100 square miles) is rural land, with about 58% of the watershed being used for agriculture. Urban areas cover the remaining 21% of the watershed (about 26 square miles).
Wetlands are some of the most valuable natural resource features in the watershed. This includes the Cedarburg Bog and the Jackson Marsh.
Rural land uses comprise about 100 square miles (79%) of the drainage area. Agriculture and wetlands are the dominant uses, making up approximately 58% and 16% of the of the watershed land use respectively. Urban land uses cover about 26 square miles, or 21% of the watershed.
Area Growth and Populations
Since 1998, the Town of Jackson has an average growth rate of about 32 new homes per year. The majority of these are single family homes. By the 2010 census, the town had a population of 4,134. At the same time, the Village of Jackson had a population of 6,753.
The town surrounds the Village of Jackson on 3 sides. The western part of the Village of Jackson extends into the Town of Polk. Jackson is about 8 miles south of West Bend, 8 miles north of Germantown, 4 miles east of Slinger, and 10 miles west of Cedarburg.
Sound good? Check out our single family home sites in the Town of Jackson. We hope to see you there!