The county seat for Marion County was moved to Jasper from Whitwell (formerly Cheekville) in 1819. The courthouse was built on land that was deeded to the county by Elizabeth “Betsy” Pack, a Cherokee Indian woman and daughter of Cherokee Chief John Lowry and Nannie Watts.

According to Vicki Rozema in her book Footsteps of the Cherokees, Betsy Lowery Pack operated a ferry on the Tennessee River, located approximately seven miles east of Lowry’s Ferry at the mouth of Battle Creek. Betsy and her mother also reportedly ran an inn called Lowry’s Place, located where Battle Creek empties into the Tennessee River.

Jasper City Hall preserves one of the old Sequatchie Valley Line railroad depots. Visit the Jasper Regional History Museum to learn more about Jasper's history including early Native American settlements, the Cherokee Removal, the Civil War, and the rise and fall of mining and railroad industries.

The Sequatchie River flows just east of Jasper, passing under Hwy. 41 before emptying into the Tennessee River. Jasper is surrounded by outdoor recreation assets, including fishing at Nickajack Lake, hiking at Little Cedar Mountain Trail, camping at Marion County Park, and rock climbing at nearby Foster Falls and Denny Cove, part of South Cumberland State Park.