In the 1800s, steamboats made Jacksonport a thriving river port. During the Civil War, Confederate and Union forces occupied the town because of its location at the confluence of the White and Black rivers. Jacksonport became the county seat in 1852, and the restored courthouse now stands as a museum. Admission is free. Facilities also include 20 Class A campsites (50 amp service), a swimming beach, pavilion, picnic sites, a playground, and the half-mile Tunstall Riverwalk. Today, exhibits in the park's 1872 courthouse and programs by park interpreters share the story of this historic river port.