The area was once settled by the Choctaw Nation. Anglo-Americans later settled here near the crossroads of the Harrisonburg and Three Notch Roads, which connected the region to the Natchez Trace and the El Camino Real. The village later became a stop on Jay Gould's Iron Mountain Railroad. Although legend held that it was named for a local hobo, it was actually named for Gould's son George. The village became a boomtown after sawmills were located here early in the 20th century. After the sawmills departed, the arrival of the Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad, as well as timber and oil production, ensured the village's survival.