Climax is the highest point on the railroad between Savannah, Ga., and the Chattahoochee River. The town was laid out and named in 1883 after a branch rail line was built to Chattahoochee, Fla. Later, a second branch rail line was built to Amsterdam, Ga.

The town served as a rail junction and an agricultural community for many years, but was not incorporated until Aug. 11, 1905. It flourished, with businesses, churches, a school, hotels, and services needed to sustain the community. With the coming of paved highways and the cutback of rail services, the town's economic strength declined.