A special section commemorating the 200th birthdays of Jackson County, Brownstown and the state will appear in the weekend edition of The Tribune.

Today, the pioneers who settled Jackson County in the early 1800s would have a hard time recognizing the area they called home. Those frontiersmen and women wouldn’t have any trouble recognizing the spirit that brought them here in the first place in their descendants and everyone else who now call Jackson County home.

That’s what this special section is all about — recognizing the accomplishments and deeds of those people who have come before and set the table for what has become a thriving and diverse community.

At nearly 514 square miles, there has always been plenty of space for growth in Jackson County. This special section takes a look at some of that growth and some of the people and events that brought us to the bicentennial.

We’ve celebrated those birthdays quite well this year. Here’s a “happy birthday” to the more than 44,000 people who now call Jackson County home. Enjoy.