Lake Martin

Maker of Memories for Almost a Hundred Years

STORY BY BETSY ILER PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE & CLIFF WILLIAMS

The Children’s Harbor lighthouse is one of Lake Martin’s iconic landmarks

Lake Martin’s acreage generated memories long before the dam was complete and the turbines began to turn in the powerhouse at Cherokee Bluffs. During the construction of the dam in 1923, it is told, families came from miles around every Sunday afternoon to picnic on the hillsides above the river and monitor the progress on the 2,000-foot long dam that would create the largest manmade lake in the country at the time. Before it was even completed, the lake was expected to become Alabama’s most significant landmark and a tourist draw.

That was not the case during its first 30 years or so, as Lake Martin was at first little more than a mosquito-infested backwater. It was a dangerous place to play, as the water hid waterlogged trees, household goods and other debris that floated freely when abandoned homes were overcome with the flood waters. The lake entertained few visitors in its earliest days, and most of those were fishermen.

When the water came up for the first time, the lake was stocked with bass and bream, and attempts were made to protect it from fishing to allow the fish populations to grow. Though the water was muddy, people eventually began to purchase property for future cabins and to swim in the lake.

In the 1936, Benjamin “Mr. Ben” Russell chaired the dedication ceremonies that named the dam for Alabama Power’s Thomas W. Martin.

The camp where dam builders had lived during construction was converted to a village where dam operators lived with their families.

Dadeville’s Barbara Cole, who grew up in Martin Dam Village on the east side of the bluff, remembers that the men would set off in boats to spray the shoreline weeds with pesticides in the battle to prevent malaria. Cole remembers World War II and the day the lights were turned off to hide the dam from potential enemy surveillance.

“Martin Dam was No. 7 on the list of places that Germany wanted to bomb,” Cole explained. “The dam was connected to the grid that supplied electricity all up the East Coast. If Germany could take out Martin Dam, that entire part of the country would have no electricity.”

Following the war, Lake Martin became a budding vacation spot, and its popularity has grown exponentially since then. Tourism now makes up almost 30 percent of the local economy and

Clockwise from far left: The Russell Marine July 4 Boat Parade attracts hundreds of specators every year; the pristine waters of Lake Martin are perfect for boating and swimming; Lake Martin is home to a number of national water ski champions; Dixie Sailing Club hosts races in season; fishing tournaments are Lake Martin’s “other” season; Russell Lands hosts one of the South’s most spectacular fireworks shows on July 4.

attracts new industry – and jobs – with the promise of enhanced quality of life. A 2018 real estate advisory study placed the value of the lake at more than $4.7 billion. That’s a substantial sum compared to the $13 million cost of building the dam almost a hundred years ago.

Lake Martin offers public boat ramps, marinas and parks along its 880 miles of shoreline, the majority of which features pine and hardwood forests, as well as a smattering of lakeside restaurants and beautiful lake homes. Even a few of the original fishing cabins remain.

The lake’s 41,150 acres attract water sports enthusiasts, vacationing families and second home owners, all in the pursuit of making great memories, and Lake Martin seems happy to oblige. All year round, the lake hosts memories in the making along its 31-mile length from Jaybird Landing to Cherokee Bluffs. Memories are born against the backdrops of venues big and small.

Lake Martin Amphitheater hosts a summer concert series, as well as a spectacular fireworks display

on July 4th, attended by thousands every year. More music – in smaller and more intimate settings – plays at lakeside restaurants throughout the season, from The Landing at Parker Creek, Kowaliga Restaurant and Lakeside Bay Pines on the north shores to The Social and Bluffs Daiquiri Bar on the south. Memories are made of finding great art pieces at charity shows featuring local artisans from Lil Calypso at Chuck’s A Lake Martin home is a wonderful place to escape to Marina to Arti Gras at Russell Crossroads. These unique, original works recall more memories of great summers at the lake. Those summers include breathtaking sunset cruises; beautiful weddings at lakeside venues like Cocktail Slough, Children’s Harbor and New Water Farms; rafting up below Chimney Rock; and visiting the friendly ruminants on Goat Island. There’s no end to the fun of an island picnic or a beach volleyball game at Wind Creek State Park. The memories just keep flowing at Alabama’s Freshwater Coast.