Originally, the place where Susurluk is now located was an empty area of forest and swamp belonging to Karasi Bey.

While Susığırlık was only a farm, it began to serve as a rest stop for caravans passing to Bursa and Istanbul.

Later, it became crowded with Bulgarian and Caucasian immigrants who migrated to Anatolia during the 1858 and 1878 Turkish-Russian war and Turkmen tribes that were later settled by Ahmed Vefik Pasha.

On 3 November 1996 a car crash in the town made news headlines as the dead and injured included a parliamentary deputy, a right-wing gang leader, a former beauty queen and a senior police officer.

Several people, including three former special forces members, were convicted of illegal activities and served prison terms.