Shorter, Alabama, was originally called Cross Keys for the birthplace in South Carolina of an early settler, J.H. Howard, and was later named for former Alabama Governor John Gill Shorter. The town holds memories of the Creek Indian Nation, the Old South, and the Civil Rights Movement. It was originally part of Creek Indian Territory and is now part of Macon County, created in 1832. Shorter is home to several state historical sites and includes one of the longest stretches of the Old Federal Road, built in 1804. Although the community had existed for more than a century, it was not officially incorporated until February 29, 1984. Over the years, the town's growth and development were guided by dedicated leaders and enriched by its citizens.