Lake Martin: Alabama's Crown Jewel (AL) (Making of America)

Before the Tallapoosa River was dammed to feed Lake Martin's waters, it was an ideal environment for the Native Americans who resided on land now submerged. The land's history is rife with discord as British soldiers and Georgia Rangers resisted French spies in the early 1700s and migrant settlers defended their homefront during the Civil War. The Martin Dam became a state landmark by 1927, generating hydroelectric power while memorializing the 31-mile-long lake as the world's largest man-made body of water at the time. It was not long before Lake Martin evolved into a community enjoying unparalleled growth as a vacation site and permanent home for Americans who discovered the satisfaction lakeside living could provide. Lake Martin: Alabama's Crown Jewel chronicles the trials and triumphs of the people who created one of today's leading retirement communities through courageous choices and determination. The story is told through compelling narrative and evocative images, many of which have not been widely published.