Nestled in the heart of Alabama is Lake Martin. The lake is a beloved destination for lake lovers, boaters, anglers, and families seeking serenity and adventure. Beneath its sparkling waters lies a powerful story of innovation, ambition, and transformation that began over a century ago.
A Vision Born of Power and Progress
In the early 1900s, the Southern United States was beginning to modernize. With a growing demand for electricity to power homes, businesses, and industry, Alabama Power recognized a golden opportunity. Lake Martin was formed by impounding the rushing waters of the Tallapoosa River.
In 1910, Alabama Power Company was incorporated. Soon after, James Mitchell, a well-known engineer who had scouted and built dams in Brazil and Japan, put a bold plan into motion. Based on that plan, Alabama Power would construct a massive hydroelectric dam at Cherokee Bluffs. The new dam would form one of the largest man-made lakes in the country.
The Birth of Martin Dam
Once the damming rights were secured from the state and several parties, including Benjamin Russell, the land that would make up the lake was purchased from the existing owners. Construction began in 1923 on what was initially called the Cherokee Bluffs Dam, located in Elmore County. The project was ambitious, with a planned concrete arch dam rising 168 feet high and stretching over 2,000 feet across the Tallapoosa River.
When completed in 1926, the dam impounded over 41,000 acres of water, making it the largest man-made body of water in the world at the time. The structure would eventually be renamed to Martin Dam. The lake it created became known as Lake Martin in honor of Thomas Wesley Martin, the visionary president of Alabama Power, who championed the project. Martin, an Alabama native, had deep knowledge of the state’s waterways and the status of its existing dams.
A Lake Transforms the Region
The filling of Lake Martin wasn’t just an engineering feat—it dramatically changed the landscape of central Alabama. As the lake expanded, dozens of small communities, homesteads, and cemeteries were relocated or submerged. Some remnants of the old towns, like the ruins of the old Kowaliga Bridge or the famed “chimneys” that still appear above the water’s surface at times, hint at the past that lies beneath.
But with the creation of the lake came opportunity. Martin Dam provided much-needed hydroelectric power to rural Alabama, jumpstarting economic development in the region. At the same time, Lake Martin quickly became a recreational haven, attracting visitors for boating, fishing, swimming, and lakeside living.
The Legacy Lives On
Today, nearly 100 years after its creation, Lake Martin continues to serve as a source of power, recreation, and inspiration. Its 880 miles of shoreline are home to communities, marinas, and natural wonders like Chimney Rock and Goat Island. The lake’s story is one of human ingenuity and natural beauty, forever linked to the people who dared to imagine what the Tallapoosa could become.
So next time you’re enjoying a sunset cruise or casting a line from your dock, take a moment to remember: this lake wasn’t always here. It was dreamed, designed, and delivered by people who believed in the power of water to shape the future.
