Jackson: The Jumping Seat of Calaveras County

Commemorating the literally trigger-happy zeal that accompanied mining town politics in the mid-1850′s, this plaque tells the story of Jackson’s Judge Smith entanglements in public policy. In 1851, Calaveras County constituents had voted to make the town of Moquelumne Hill the ‘seat of justice’ for the county, and Judge Smith overruled the vote, declaring the town of Jackson as the seat. Moquelumne Hill citizens chased him down to lynch him, but were unsuccessful. Judge Smith later shot Kid Collier over another voting dispute on Jackson’s Main Street, the location of this plaque.

Located at 105 Main St, Jackson, CA 95642. Photo taken by Ashleyanne Krigbaum, January 2013.