Lake Martin
Alabama's most upscale clear-water lake, spread across Tallapoosa, Elmore, and Coosa counties in the east-central part of the state. Created by Alabama Power in 1926, Martin is famous for two things: clean, clear water with 880 miles of wooded shoreline, and the fact that a single family company — Russell Lands — built and still shapes much of its premier real estate. Buying here means understanding both. This is the independent research that explains it.
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Lake Martin was created in 1926 when Alabama Power completed Martin Dam on the Tallapoosa River — one of the oldest of the company's big reservoirs and, when built, among the largest man-made lakes in the world. Today it covers about 41,150 acres with some 880 miles of wooded shoreline winding through coves, islands, and creek arms across three counties. Martin's signature is its water: clean and notably clear, prized for swimming, and home to a strong spotted- bass fishery. As an Alabama Power storage lake it draws down for the winter, but at roughly seven feet the swing is gentler than Smith's, and the lake holds its character year-round.
What truly sets Martin apart is who built it. Russell Lands, a single family company rooted in Alexander City, developed and still controls a large share of the lake's premier shoreline — its golf communities, marinas, restaurants, and thousands of acres of protected land. The result is an unusually polished, amenity-rich lake with a coherent identity, but also one where much of the best real estate sits inside planned communities with their own rules, fees, and culture. Understanding the Russell Lands ecosystem is central to understanding Lake Martin.
What Buyers Need to Know First
Three things shape a Lake Martin purchase. First, the dock: Martin is an Alabama Power lake, so every dock and shoreline structure needs a Shoreline Management permit, there is no grandfather clause for old unpermitted docks, and the permit must be confirmed and transferred at sale. Second, the community: much of the best shoreline sits within Russell Lands or other planned developments, each with covenants, membership structures, and fees that materially affect cost and use — read them before you fall for a home. Third, the county: Martin spans Tallapoosa, Elmore, and Coosa, which set different tax rates and services. Work through the pages below — especially the Russell Lands explainer — and you will understand this lake better than most people who already own on it.
One more orientation point: Martin is genuinely clear-water, and that clarity drives much of its appeal and its price. Swimmers, divers, and families prize the clean water, sight-fishing anglers chase spotted bass over visible structure, and the lake's deep main body — about 155 feet at its deepest — keeps it cool and clear through the summer. Combine that water with the wooded shoreline, the island-dotted main lake, and landmarks like Chimney Rock, and you have a lake that feels more like a clear mountain reservoir than a typical Deep South impoundment. It is a major reason buyers from Birmingham and Atlanta are willing to pay a premium and accept the community-fee structure to own here.
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