In the 1840s, the heirs of Hezekiah Rutledge deeded right-of-way to the Georgia Railroad, and the farm came to be referred to by railroad workers as "Rutledge Place," which probably gave rise to the town's name. In the early years of the railroad, Rutledge served as the terminus of the line, and a turn table, or round house, was located there to turn engines back toward Augusta. As in many Georgia towns, the railroad brought development to the area, and a thriving civic and commercial center emerged. The city of Rutledge was formally incorporated on December 13, 1871, by act of the Georgia legislature. Early religious institutions included a Baptist church founded in 1845 and a Methodist church in 1902. By 1915, a six-room brick school building had been constructed in Rutledge. After the Great Depression in the early 20th century, Rutledge became the site of two Civilian Conservation Corps camps created as part of the public works program initiated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Their task was to create Hard Labor Creek Park north of the city, originally a federal recreation demonstration area. The recreational opportunities offered by Hard Labor Creek Park brought tourists to the Rutledge area, and it is still enjoyed by visitors in the 21st century as part of the Georgia State Parks system.