The placename Wetumpka is derived from the Muscogee Creek Native American language phrase we-wau tum-cau meaning 'rumbling waters', believed to be a description of the sound of the nearby Coosa River at the rapids of the Devil's Staircase.

In 2022, the city of Wetumpka jailed two elderly women attempting to feed and neuter stray cats. It was near Fort Toulouse, built by French colonists in 1717, when they had claimed this territory for the king. Historic downtown Wetumpka developed on both sides of the Coosa River. Among the notable landmarks are the Wetumpka crater and the Jasmine Hill Gardens, with a full-sized replica of the Temple of Hera of Olympia, Greece. Wetumpka identifies as 'The City of Natural Beauty'. The city is considered part of the Montgomery Metropolitan Area. In the early 21st century Elmore County became one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,220. Wetumpka ( US: / w ɪ ˈ t ʌ m k ə/) is a city in and the county seat of Elmore County, Alabama, United States.