Adairsville began in Oothcaloga Valley, two miles north of its present site. It was named for Cherokee Chief John Adair, the son of a Scottish trader and a Cherokee princess. In 1848 the community moved to Adair Station, established in 1846 by William Watts, but retained the name Adairsville in honor of Chief Adair. The Battle of Adairsville, sometimes known as the Gravel House Battle, was fought there on May 17, 1864. Adairsville was incorporated in 1854, and the Great Locomotive Chase passed through its history on April 12, 1862.