West Point, Troup County, Georgia History
The city of West Point was originally an early and important
trading post on the east bank of the Chattahoochee and was called Franklin
by the early settlers. Some of the earliest settlers were John H. Broadnax,
Thomas Coker, William Coker, Joseph and John Williams, John Phipps and A.
Cox. In 1829 Phipps, Williams and Cox built the first store at the top of a
hill, but moved in 1830 and built a log store on lower ground nearer the
river. The principal business at that time was with the Indians, who were
thickly settled on the western side of the river. During 1830 and 1831
Littleberry Gresham, John C. Webb, Robert and E. G. Richards, Benjamin
Rhodes, H. F. and Thomas Erwin, opened business houses on the east side of
the river. Peter Dudley built and kept the first tavern near the old toll
bridge. William Coker built the second tavern, and after his time Mrs. Reid
kept an excellent tavern on the Schaefer corner.
In 1831 the population of the settlement of Franklin numbered one hundred,
and the amount of business was estimated to be from $40,000.00 to
$50,000.00, showing a thriving trading center even in those early days. The
surrounding country soon became settled with sturdy farmers, who felled
forests, built substantial homes, and raised splendid crops from the virgin
soil.
The city of West Point was incorporated originally as the town of Franklin
on December 26, 1831. Dr. G. W. Hill went to Milledgeville, the capital of
the state at that time, for the purpose of furthering the incorporation, and
it is believed that he suggested the name of Franklin. The charter of
Franklin Academy was granted at the same session of legislature. Under the
act of incorporation the following persons were appointed commissioners of
the town: Charles R. Pearson, William Atkins, Robert M. Richards, Thomas B.
Erwin, and John C. Webb. On December 24, 1832, the name of the town was
changed by legislative enactment to the town of West Point. The cause of
this sudden change of name of the town was that the adjacent county of Heard
had named their county seat "Franklin," and there was much confusion in the
transmission of mails.
Captain J. W. F. Little, in an article which appeared in the LaGrange
Reporter in 1878, said: "No positive facts can now be obtained as to why the
name of `West Point' was chosen. It is said that this is the most western
point of the Chattahoochee River and possibly that was the reason. It was
certainly not because it was the western terminus of the Atlanta and West
Point Railroad, for the town was named sixteen years before the enterprise
was projected."
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