Jura is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Free County. The department was created with six districts: Dole, Lons-le-Saunier, Orgelet, Poligny, Saint-Claude and Salins; the capital was Lons-le-Saunier alternating with Dole, Poligny and Salins but from 1794 only Lons-le-Saunier remained as the capital.