In the 1830s, a railroad route from North Florida through South Georgia and onwards to the Atlantic coast was the goal of several different competing companies.

The Brunswick and Florida Railroad received its charter from the Georgia General Assembly on December 22, 1835.

In November 1836, a bill was introduced to the Georgia legislature to authorize the Brunswick and Florida Railroad to construct a branch to the Flint or Chattahoochee Rivers.

By April 1854, citizens in South Georgia were hoping that the two companies would avoid competition with one another and construct a "main trunk" line together.

[7] In February 1855, Col. Charles L. Schlatter arrived in Georgia to take over the role as chief engineer for the construction of the railroad.

[11] In early 1856, a compromise was reached between the two competing companies was passed by the Georgia General Assembly.

Members of the Brunswick and Florida Railroad Company also met in December 1856 to discuss the changes to the charter made by the Georgia legislature.

[13] By October 1857, the route had been graded to Big Creek in modern Brantley County, but the company lacked the iron to complete the line to that point.

[14] By November 1858, additional rails were purchased to complete the railroad to its junction with the Atlantic and Gulf and extension of the road to Albany was being called for.

[15] A route from Albany to railroad's junction with the Atlantic and Gulf was surveyed in April 1859 by chief engineer Charles L.

[17] Grading of the route from the junction with the Atlantic and Gulf to Waresboro, Georgia began in August 1860.

[20] On June 10, 1863, two Union gunboats went up the Turtle River and attempted to burn the Brunswick and Albany Railroad's trestle of Buffalo Swamp.

The railroad refused to pay any damages to the owners and permanently suspended construction of the line west of Cuthbert.

This led to the governor of Georgia intervening due to state bonds that had been used to fund the construction of the railroad.

[34] While the lawsuits regarding the finances of the companies were being contested, new communities began to grow along the route of the railroad.

In April 1872, Col. Nelson Tift established a sawmill settlement at the crossroads of the Brunswick and Florida Railroad and the Union Road.

[35] The next month a post office was established near the Alapaha River along the line called Allapaha.

Passenger trains including the City of Miami, Dixie Flyer, Flamingo, Seminole, and South Wind ran the line from Albany to Waycross on their way from the Midwest to Florida.

[40] In 1980, the Seaboard Coast Line's parent company merged with the Chessie System, creating the CSX Corporation.

[41] At its northwest end it connects to the Jesup Subdivision in Waycross just east of Rice Yard.

[43] In 1999, the Sylvester to Albany segment was sold again to the short line Georgia and Florida Railway who operates it today.