The town was a resort where people came to drink the water which was rich in sulfur and believed to have medicinal properties.

At one time the town had a hotel with a swimming pool, a bank, pharmacy, post office, town jail with two cells, a grist mill, a sawmill, and a Coca-Cola bottling plant.

Before being submerged beneath Lay Lake, Fort Williams was located near Talladega Springs.

33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 11.1% of families and 17.2% of the population living below the poverty line, including 38.5% of under eighteens and 29.6% of those over 64.