The town of Kramer was incorporated on September 5, 1883, and given the name Bremen. It was originally named for a German immigrant that owned a local vineyard but the name was changed at Kramer’s request to honor the city of Bremen, Germany.
Bremen’s economy was given a significant boost when the Chattanooga, Rome and Columbus Railroad was built, crossing the Georgia Pacific Railroad lines at Bremen. As a result, Bremen began to develop a significant textile heritage. Factories sprung up adjacent to the rail lines, which provided easy access to delivery of products nationwide. Soon, Bremen became known as the capital of men's clothing. Suits were manufactured at Sewell's, Hubbards and more in the heart of town. This and other favorable circumstances have helped Bremen to grow from a simple railroad junction settled by German immigrants to the largest town in Haralson County, Georgia.
Early Inhabitants
Prior to the early 18th Century Bremen and most of Georgia was home to American Indians belonging to a southeastern alliance known as the Creek Confederacy. Today's Creek Nation, also known as the Muskogee, were the major tribe in that alliance. According to Creek traditions, the Creek Confederacy migrated to the southeastern United States from the Southwest. The confederacy was probably formed as a defense against other large groups to the north. The name "Creek" came from the shortening of "Ocheese Creek" Indians; a name given by the English to the native people living along the Ocheese Creek (or Ocmulgee River). In time, the name was applied to all groups of the Creek Confederacy.
Most of the groups of the confederacy shared the same language (Muskogean), types of ceremonies, and village lay-out. The Creek people lived in large permanent towns or italwa with smaller outlying villages or talofa that were associated with the larger town. Italwa were centered around plazas (pascova) used for dancing, religious ceremonies and games. It was here that the Sacred Fire was rekindled annually at the Green Corn Festival (Busk). Plazas in the towns also contained a rotunda, a round building made of poles and mud used for council meetings, and an open-air summer council house. The people in the villages attended ceremonies in the towns with which they were associated. Surrounding the plaza area were the family homes. Towns were governed by a Chief, or "Mico", an assistant chief, and a "Mico Apokta", who acted as speaker for the Chief, announcing his decisions to the people.
These characteristics are very similar to what is known about the prehistoric Mississippian Culture who occupied the Etowah Mounds village. The people of the Etowah Mounds are believed to be the ancestors of the Creeks who controlled the area until the early 16th century.