DESCRIPTION OF AREA. 
13 
corner, receives the drainage waters from the greater part of 
the area. From the east it receives the drainage waters from 
the East Fork of the Black River, Morrison Creek, Perry Creek, 
Robinson Creek and others, while from the west it receives 
Halls Creek, Town Creek, Roaring Creek, and Douglas Creek. 
The extreme western border of the county drains westward 
chiefly through tributaries of the Trempealeau and Beef Rivers 
into the Mississippi. From the southeastern portion of the 
county some of the drainage water reaches the Wisconsin River 
through the Lemonweir River and its tributaries. 
Settlement .—The first settlement in Jackson county was 
made in 1818 or 1819 when a saw mill was erected on Town 
Creek, but this was not permanent. The Indians did not cede 
away their right to the region until 1838, and in 1839 the first 
permanent settlement was made on the present site of Black 
River Falls. The Mormons bought a mill here in 1843 which 
they operated for part of two years. Later a Mormon settle¬ 
ment was established at Knapp in the country to the east of 
Millston. Jackson County was established in 1853, and the vil¬ 
lage of Black River Falls was incorporated in 1866. 
Black River Falls, with a population 1,796 in 1920, is the 
county seat of Jackson county and also the largest city. It is 
situated on the Black River near the center of the county, and 
is a distributing center, market and shipping point for a large 
territory. Merrillan, Hixton, Taylor, Hatfield, Pray, and Mill¬ 
ston are smaller railroad towns. In 1920 Jackson county had 
a population of 17,746. 
Railways .—Two railway systems traverse the county. The 
Chicago and Northwestern Line crosses the area from the south¬ 
east to the northwest passing through Millston, Black River 
Falls, and Merrillan. From Merrillan a branch runs northeast 
through Neillsville, Marshfield, and Wausau, to Green Bay. 
From Fairchild, just above the north county line a branch ex¬ 
tends west to Monclovi in Buffalo county. The Green Bay and 
AVestern Railway crosses the county from east to w^est passing 
through Pray, Hatfield, Merrillan, Hixton, and Taylor. The 
southwestern corner of the county is more remote from railroad 
facilities than any other section of the area, but this has not 
prevented the development. In fact this is one of the best im¬ 
proved and most highly prosperous farming communities in the 
