History of Roberta, Georgia

The history of Roberta is deeply rooted in early Native American relations, transportation developments, and small-town growth in central Georgia. In the early nineteenth century, Indian agent Benjamin Hawkins established his plantation and a trading post along the Flint River near present-day Roberta. This site was also the location of the Creek Agency, an official U.S. government post for interaction with the Muscogee (Creek) people.

Originally part of Crawford County, the community of Knoxville served as the only stop in the county until the Augusta and Florida Railway bypassed it by about a mile to the southwest in 1888, establishing a new train station. A settlement quickly grew around this station, initially called “New Knoxville.”

Local landowner Hiram David McCrary allowed the railroad to use part of his property and, in return, was granted the right to name the town. He chose the name Roberta in honor of his 7-year-old daughter. McCrary became an important early figure in the community—opening its first general store, serving as its first elected mayor, co-owning its first motel, and acting as tax collector and railroad station agent.

In 1910, Roberta was officially incorporated as a city, with its boundaries extended 1,200 yards in every direction.

In 1949, the original train depot burned down and was replaced about a year later by a smaller concrete block structure. In 2003, a replica of the original depot was built and now houses the Roberta–Crawford County Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center.

With the construction of the railroad and the development of U.S. Route 341, Roberta became a bustling tourist town, with restaurants and hotels serving travelers heading south. However, in the 1940s, passenger rail service ended, reducing one major source of traffic, and in the 1950s, Interstate 75 was built east of Roberta, diverting significant travel away from the town.

Following these changes, Roberta transitioned into the quiet, welcoming small town it is today—proud of its railroad heritage and rich local history.