The city of Eastman derives its name from Mr. William Pitt Eastman, a native of New Hampshire. Mr. Eastman affiliated with William E. Dodge and others to purchase large tracts of timber in the area following the Civil War. In 1869, the Macon & Brunswick Railroad connected the area to the town of Macon and the port city of Brunswick, offering a shipping point for the thousands of acres of timber harvested by the Dodge Company.

Mr. Eastman chose to live in the town originally known as Station Number 13. He built a large, elegant home on Eastman Way, between Eighth and Ninth Avenues, which still stands. It houses the Dodge County Historical Society, which maintains a large collection of historical archives and artifacts pertaining to the area. This home, built in 1875, is open to the public during special events and by appointment.

Mr. Eastman's likeness is a photograph reproduced from an oil painting that now resides at the Ocmulgee Regional Library Headquarters in Eastman.