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is located in Cherokee County, Texas, United States. The population was 13,868 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Cherokee County and part of the larger Tyler-Jacksonville Combined Statistical Area.
Jacksonville is located in an area of rolling hills in East Texas, north of the county seat, Rusk, and south of Tyler, in Smith County, on U.S. Route 69. Area production and shipping of tomatoes gained the town the title "Tomato Capital of the World". The impressive red iron ore rock Tomato Bowl, built by WPA workers during the Great Depression, is home to the Jacksonville High School "Fightin' Indians" football and soccer teams. Annual events include the "Tomato Fest" celebration in June and the "Tops in Texas Rodeo", held in July. It is the hometown of country music singers Lee Ann Womack and Neal McCoy, Oakland Raiders quarterback Josh McCown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Luke McCown, Jacksonville Jaguars' punter Toby Gowin, and former New York Jets TE and DE Pete Lammons.
Jacksonville began in 1847 as the town of Gum Creek. Jackson Smith built a home and blacksmith shop in the area, and became postmaster in 1848, when a post office was authorized. Shortly afterward, Dr. William Jackson established an office near Smith's shop. When the townsite was laid out in 1850, the name Jacksonville was chosen in honor of these two men. The name of the post office was changed from Gum Creek to Jacksonville in June 1850.
The only two private junior colleges in Texas, Lon Morris College and Jacksonville College, are both located in Jacksonville. A seminary belonging to the Baptist Missionary Association of America is also located there.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.1 square miles (36.6 km