Augusta is a northern Bracken county town on the Ohio river. It is probably on the site of a large prehistoric settlement, but modern settlers began arriving in the late 1700s with the town dating to 1797. Augusta was named for the county in Virginia. It served as the Bracken county seat from 1797 to 1800 and again from 1802 until 1839, when it was moved to Brooksville. The post office opened in 1801 as Augusta or Bracken Court House. The population in 1990 was 1,336.

A ferry has operated at Augusta since about 1800, carrying traffic across the river to Ohio.