North Main Street passes through the historic commercial center of Wadley. According to Ken Krakow’s Georgia Place Names, it was first known as Bethany, then Shake Rag. Incorporated as a town in 1876, Wadley was named for William Morrill Wadley (1813-1882), a New Hampshire native who came to Georgia as a young man. He worked as a blacksmith during the construction of Fort Pulaski under the command of Robert E. Lee and was appointed superintendent of the public works on Cockspur Island. He was later involved in significant building and engineering works and briefly served, unofficially, as supervisor of Confederate railroads. From 1886 until his death, he served as president of the Central of Georgia Railway.