History of Lake Martin
Creation of Lake Martin
Cherokee Bluffs, a renowned landmark in Tallapoosa County, was selected as the ideal site for constructing the first of four dams on the Tallapoosa River. This dam, upon its completion, created the world's largest artificial reservoir.
Named Martin Dam in honor of Thomas Martin, the project paid tribute to the Alabama Power Company president from 1920 to 1949 and CEO from 1949 to 1963. Martin played a crucial role in the development of Alabama Power and was a trailblazer in advancing the electric system across Alabama and the Southeastern United States.
Lake Martin and the Tallapoosa River
The Tallapoosa River basin begins in western Georgia and flows southwesterly through east central Alabama. Lake Martin, a 31-mile long reservoir, spans Coosa, Elmore, and Tallapoosa counties along the Tallapoosa River, near Dadeville and Alexander City. Martin Dam, located 60.6 miles upstream from the confluence of the Tallapoosa and Coosa Rivers, which forms the Alabama River, impounds this lake. Lake Martin boasts over 700 miles of shoreline and covers more than 40,000 acres. The basin, the land area supplying the water, encompasses approximately 4,675 square miles, with about 3,000 square miles upstream of Lake Martin. Around 15 percent of the basin’s drainage area is in Georgia, where the headwaters of the Tallapoosa and Little Tallapoosa Rivers originate before entering Alabama in Randolph County, southwest of Atlanta, to form the main stem of the Tallapoosa River that feeds Lake Martin.
When Martin Dam was completed in 1926, the full pool elevation was originally stated as 490 feet Martin Datum (MD). Later, it was determined that a more accurate full pool elevation should be identified as 491 feet Mean Sea Level (MSL). Today, elevations are commonly quoted in MSL. This adjustment does not signify a one-foot rise in the lake’s full pool level but rather a technical change in the elevation reference. It might seem confusing, but it's just another piece of information about the beautiful Lake Martin.
History of Russell Lands
For nearly a century, the Russell family has been stewards of some of the most coveted land along the shores of Lake Martin, Alabama's largest man-made lake. The family's legacy began in 1846 with the purchase of land in south-central Alabama and expanded over the next 80 years, donating land for parks, schools, hospitals, and other public uses.
In the 1960s, Russell Lands, Inc. began developing the area now known as Russell Lands On Lake Martin, starting with the creation of the 167-acre Willow Point Golf and Country Club. The exclusive Willow Point neighborhood followed in the early 1970s, marking the first of many lakefront neighborhoods planned and developed by Russell Lands.
Passionate about the land, the Russell family established a development company committed to harmonizing with the natural environment. Long before sustainable development became a standard, Russell Lands was creating neighborhoods with minimal environmental impact, featuring large wooded lots and ample green spaces. For over three decades, the company has been meticulously crafting a lake-oriented retreat that offers residents the natural beauty and simplicity of lakeside living, with a focus on land preservation and property value protection.