This community is located to the north of Pine Barren Creek in western Butler County. The virgin pine forests that grew in the area probably continued to the name but they quickly gave way to fields of cotton after the area was populated.

Henry Powell is possibly the earliest person to settled in the area about 1819. He was followed by Robert C. Traweek about 1820. Powell moved his family to Clark County, GA. before settling in Butler County. Traweek was also from Georgia.

Mr. Traweek was one of the most industrious of businessmen. He opened a blacksmith shop in 1821, and built a mill on Breastwork Creek in 1825. He was unaccustomed to living in a log house so he set out to erect a frame house for his family. It was completed in 1827 and stood for many, many years. An inscription was etched in the chimney and was still visible in 1885: Robert C. Traweek, 1827.

He also built a mill on Breastwork Creek in 1825. It was later sold and became Lewis Wright & Co. In 1833, Traweek sold his property to William Wallace, who later sold it to Green Coleman. It has changed hands numerous times to include owners Major James Yeldell [poss. in law to Henry Powell], a Mrs. Christian, E. M. Lazenby.

Another early settler was L. H. Gibbs who also built a house in the community in 1828. He built a mill [perhaps the first] on Pine Barren Creek for John Murphy.

By 1851 more settlers began moving into the community. Some of these were the families of Lod Roberson, John Worrell, Sebastian Moore, Nathan Wright, Thomas and Joseph Glenn.

In 1871, Lazenby in partnership with S. J. Campbell opened a shoe store and later added some dry goods. It was soon discovered that there was enough demand for these goods, that a separate store was opened.

The first school for Forest Home commenced in 1871. Their teacher was J. Norris. He was replaced by Miss Hattie Stewart in 1872. The following year the citizens built a frame school house. A Miss Wilson came from Georgia and replaced Miss Stewart. She married Thomas Ansley and remained in the area. The school she taught closed in 1875. There seems to be some mystery as to why the school closed.

The next to instruct the children of Forest Home was Samuel A. Lowery, a resident of Monroe County. The next teacher came in 1878, Professor Sebastian Reynolds. He had as an assistant, a Mrs. Powers. The school was transformed into an academy when a new building was built in 1883. Again some controvesary broke out between two of the local religious groups. The Baptist took over the old school; the Methodist the academy. The Forest Home Methodist Episical Church was built in 1880. A parsonage was built the following year. The Baptist moved to the old Ebeneezer Church near Butler Springs during the summer of 1882 and remodeled the church building.

George Lazenby served as postmaster of the Forest Home Post Office for a time. The mail was brought from Greenville three times a week. The town also had three stores which carried a full line of merchandise to include a complete line of plantation supplies. These were owned by F. N. Mooer & L. Glenn, Lewis Wright, and E. M. Lazenby & Son.

Perhaps the first doctor to settle in the area was Dr. Conrad Wall who moved there in 1878. Wall has previously lived in Monterey. Because his practice afforded him much spare time, he was very active in farming.

The Honorable Nathan Wright was a resident of Forest Home. He served as Butler County's representative to the Alabama General Assembly in 1880. He was an advocate of and helped to promote the passing of legislation for prohibition in various parts of the state.