If you are from the small town of Jackson, Michigan and have moved away or are still currently living there than the following list of events are most likely things you have probably done in the time that you have lived in within Jackson County.
1. If you thought you were a real gangster/rapper than you probably had your picture taken in front of this sign.
2. Odds are pretty high that you went to at least 2 of the following schools: Western, Lumen, Vandercook, Northwest, or J-High.
3. If you attended Jackson High School, then you most likely referred to it as “The High”. God only knows why.
4. When you were younger, odds are that you probably had your birthday parties either at Allskate Fun Center, Airport Lanes Bowling Alley, or Optimist Ice Arena, or even all 3.
5. At some point, you probably attended a movie at “the purple theater” as opposed to the Jackson 10 because no one ever went there and you didn’t feel like being around noisy poorly behaved children or middle schoolers who thought they ran that place.
6. If you attended Western High School odds are good that you had mega school spirit and had been to at least one match/game of every sport.
7. You always did your shopping either at the Westwood Mall or the Jackson Crossing, but probably complained about the size of the malls and their stores every time you went there.
8. You would’ve loved to go to Walmart more often than you did, but couldn’t stand all the gross people in pajamas and poorly taken care of the environment.
9. As a child, you always roamed around the Jackson County Fair either with your family, school, or summer camp.
10. If your parents didn’t stay at home during the summer and you didn’t have a babysitter odds are good you attended Y-Camp.
11. Every year you drove through the Night Lites at the Jackson County Fairgrounds.
12. You had at least a couple days every winter where the temperature was one degree off the minimum for school to be canceled and proceeded to complain throughout the rest of your school day.
13. If you didn’t attend Lumen you either made fun of those who did or you were really close friends with more people from there than your actual school.
14. You claim Hinkley’s Bakery is the absolute best and have probably driven across town to it before the start of school.
15. Odds are very good that every time you are out shopping you will see at least 2-5 people you know or recognize.
16. As a child you danced and got soaked in the Cascades Falls, then as a teenager or adult, you went on a nice date for some cute photos with your significant other.
17. When Pokémon was a thing, last August, you probably found yourself burning those calories either Downtown, at Cascades, or Ella Sharp Park.
18. You’ve gone to Rock N Bowl at least a few times with your friends.
19. You either attended with friends or were a part of a team at Relay For Life at Cascades.
20. If you didn’t find yourself to be that creative than your senior pictures or prom pictures were probably at the railroad station, Ella Sharp, or Cascades.
21. You most likely complain about a different road just about every month when they annually start redoing the roads again. There are only so many roads in Jackson, yet they never redo some of them that actually really need the repairs and have never gotten them.
22. On a nice warm day, it seemed everyone flocked to the miniature golf course.
23. Cascades was probably your go-to ice cream place no matter where you lived or if there was a Frosty Boy just down the road from your house.
24. As a kid whether you lived on the East side or not you probably went to Nixon Park at least once or twice to swim.
25. Your go to places to hang and grab a bite to eat after events with friends were either Applebee's, Denny's, Panera, or Wing Street.
26. You’ve been to the Michigan Theater at least once for a cheap movie or Halloween Haunted House.
27. In sports, it was always clear who was apart of the better teams, for example, Rush always led the way for soccer as Lumens football program was always on top.
28. Once the newest restaurant opened up in town everyone felt they had to try it causing a backup for at least the first few months of its opening.
29. You either have attended or heard of Westwind’s Church and find it odd yet interesting with their new ways of following God with a more laid back and Rock n Roll style.
30. You’ve probably woken up for early morning breakfast at the airport to watch the planes fly off, land, and watch the morning sunrise.
31. At some point, you have been to The Parlour and tried either the baby dare to be great or the giant dare to be great with family or friends.
32. You visited one of the few places in the city to pick pumpkins to come fall time. The most popular were Meckley's Flavor Fruit Farms.
33. You attended the annual Hot Air Jubilee either at the Airport or Ella Sharp Park.
34.You often went to see the fireworks go off at Cascades Park.
35. Within the last few years, you either probably partied out at MIS for either a Nascar race or Faster Horses.
36. You visited one or both of the prison tours, either at Cell Block 7 or the old Jackson prison.
Throughout my 18 years in Jackson, Michigan, before moving across the country, these were the things I noticed constantly occurring that either brought humor or joy to myself and those around me. Jackson may be a small town with limited things to offer, as some may believe, but it is growing every year. When I come back to visit my hometown year after year I hope to continue to see improvements in such a family orientated and welcoming town.
