Jack County

AgriLife Extension Service Office

Welcome to the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in Jack County

Jack County, originally part of Cooke County, was created on August 14, 1856. It was named for two brothers, William H. Jack and Patrick C. Jack who were lawyers that came to Texas from Georgia in 1832. They aided in the fight for Texas independence and held elected offices in the State.

The first county courthouse was completed on August 17, 1858 in Jacksboro, which was originally called Mesquiteville because of the large mesquite trees. The name was changed to Jacksboro in 1858.

In 1867, a frontier post named Fort Richardson was established to protect settlers in the county; however, In the spring of 1878 it was abandoned as a military post. The original hospital and field officer quarters have been restored and are now preserved as a State park.

The Butterfield Overland Mail Route and the Chicago, Rock Island, and Texas Railway passed through Jacksboro. The Butterfield Stage made its first run from St. Louis to San Francisco on September 15, 1858. The original Butterfield Overland Mail Route passed about three miles south of Jacksboro until a narrow passageway through a cliff was purposely blocked by large boulders, causing the mail route to be diverted through Jacksboro.

Tom M. Marks organized the Corn Club on September 8, 1907, in Jacksboro. New types of corn seed were distributed among the membership of 111 boys. Each boy received 1 gallon of corn. The following year, the first county fair was held. There were 91 boys and 30 other men exhibiting their corn in addition to the 270 other exhibits. Upon seeing how well the boys’ corn grew, the farmers began to apply some of the same techniques. The Corn Club survived and evolved into the 1st Texas 4-H Club. Marks’ home was purchased by the Jack County Historical Society and became the Jack County Museum and is known as the birthplace of Texas 4-H.

Jack County Resources, Publications and Links

AgriLife Extension offers key programs across the state that are organized and supported at the county level. Click the links below for more information about local programming or contact your county office at 940-567-2132

Local Educational Programs and Events

Start Something

From Idea to Real Income
For Dreamers, Doers & Future Business Owners
Have a business idea you can’t shake? Thinking about starting something of your own—or taking your next step?
Start Something: From Idea to Real Income is an inspiring, practical event designed for dreamers, doers, and anyone curious about entrepreneurship—no matter where you’re starting from.
Join us for an evening of real stories, real lessons, and real beginnings as local community business leaders share how they went from idea to action. You’ll hear what worked, what didn’t, and what they wish they had known sooner—without the fluff or the pressure to have it all figured out.
Stay Tuned:
𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒖𝒑 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔
What’s in it for you?
• Encouragement to start small and start now
• Lessons learned from real local entrepreneurs
• Insight into turning ideas into income
• Permission to design your own path
Whether you’re exploring entrepreneurship, launching your first idea, or simply thinking bigger about what’s possible, this event is for you.
Come ready to listen, learn, ask questions, and leave inspired to take your next step.
Thursday, February 26 @ 5:30 PM
The Burkett Event Center
Hosted by the Jacksboro Economic Development Corporation, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, and the Jacksboro Chamber of Commerce