The Central of Georgia Railway was built through the present area of Butler about 1850.

[6] The line is currently owned by Norfolk Southern and hosts three to four trains per day.

The city of Butler, Georgia, was named for General William Orlando Butler, a distinguished soldier of the Mexican–American War and a candidate for Vice President on the ticket with General Lewis Cass of Michigan.

The Fall Line Freeway (GA-540) runs from west to east through the southern part of the city, concurrent with Georgia State Route 96.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,881 people, 762 households, and 447 families residing in the city.