The Heritage

This has been the way of Russell Lands for more than 100 years, and it is now the heart behind their newest lakefront community: The Heritage. Designed to pair luxury amenities with the breathtaking lakefront topography, The Heritage commands 1,200 acres along 12 miles of Lake Martin’s finest shoreline views. It will include approximately 240 waterfront homesites and 130 wooded interior lots, each a respite among the serenity of lakefront views and tall pines.

These homesites will offer extensive value with their generous lot sizes and privacy that will provide exclusive amenities for homeowners. The Heritage homesites will be available starting in summer 2022. Ben Russell, chairman of Russell Lands and the grandson of “Mr. Ben” Russell who founded the company, shared the hope and heartbeat for the new development: “The Heritage, like all other neighborhoods in the Russell Lands community, will possess the qualities that my grandfather had envisioned all those years ago. Lake Martin is a gift to us and all those who join our community.”

Lake Club

A signature amenity of The Heritage is the waterfront residential lake club, designed by acclaimed architectural design firm Cooper Carry. The resident-owned facility will feature numerous resort-style amenities such as a fully equipped fitness center, saline pool, grill area, eight tennis courts, and eight pickle ball courts to fully relish in the outdoors season after season.

The club’s environment will also encourage communal gatherings spent between days of physical activity when rest and fellowship are much needed. This will include a large outdoor event space with a catering kitchen and bar, an expansive lawn space, pavilions, firepits, and a community dock for the simplest moments that can create those lifelong memories.

Wicker Point Golf Club

At the center of the new lakefront community is the private Wicker Point Golf Club, which is set to open in summer 2023. Just as with the heart of the surrounding properties, the course will be displayed among Alabama’s richest landscape and awe-inspiring sights. Intricately and professionally designed to enhance the beauty of its natural surroundings, this Coore & Crenshaw-designed 18-hole golf course will offer an experience like no other.

The Wicker Point Golf Club clubhouse and golf shop will further provide amenities and luxury accommodations for its members. Designed by Hank Long of Henry Sprott Long & Associates, the wrap-around porch and lake house environment will offer comfort and relaxation, boasting views of the course’s holes set among some of Lake Martin’s most picturesque scenery. Uniquely built to provide members with an exclusive experience every season, a practice putting course will allow both skilled and novice golfers to hone their golf technique year-round.

The club’s golf shop will house a pro shop to outfit its members with all their golfing needs along with men’s and women’s locker rooms. A highlighted feature of the clubhouse is a “wind down” room that sports a lounge area and bar, creating an ideal atmosphere for sharing a meal or watching the sun set on the glistening lake with family and friends alike.

This private club will be the only Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw-designed course in the state of Alabama, fostering a private and unique club experience for each member. The time-honored traditions of the Wicker Point landmark combined with the course and club’s innovative creation will provide the perfect setting for ultimate relaxation while maintaining the integrity and essence of Lake Martin.

In speaking about his grandfather’s personal mission towards the land itself that has spurred projects like The Heritage, Ben Russell remarks, “The Heritage is set on a piece of land that is as pristine as any found on Lake Martin—an area once consisting of a deep pine plantation is now showing the formation of a beautiful golf course. Mr. Ben’s vision was a driving factor in recruiting Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw to design the course. Their approach for finding a golf course and fitting it to the existing terrain falls hand-in-hand with my grandfather’s love and respect for the land. He would have had it no other way.”

History of Russell Lands

The history and legacy of Russell Lands has shaped the landscape of communities and homes at Lake Martin that have been protected and cultivated for more than 100 years. From its inception, Benjamin “Mr. Ben” Russell kept conservation and proper land management at the forefront of each Russell Lands endeavor, creating an expanse of Alabama’s most sought-after properties.

When his hometown of Alexander City, Alabama, was nearly burned to disrepair, Mr. Russell, a successful businessman, took the opportunity to help rebuild his beloved community with new schools, hospitals, and eventually numerous other public spaces that quickly generated a vibrant and thriving community, stronger than before.

His entrepreneurial spirit combined with his reverence for the landscape further propelled the establishment of Russell Lands in 1962 after the creation of Lake Martin in 1926. Mr. Ben Russell’s vision for the land and conservation efforts remained a core value of the company.

Other Russell Lands’ Sites

Beyond its exquisite home builds, properties, and lakefront views, Russell Lands has more than 100 miles of dedicated equestrian, hiking, and biking trails that reveal Lake Martin’s most treasured features. These trails are nestled between Alabama’s pines and wooded habitats along the lake’s breathtaking shoreline. All who adventure through the trails can experience the beautiful flora and fauna of Lake Martin.

Russell Lands’ first commercial development area on the lake, Russell Crossroads, was created to provide walkability throughout the property as a central location for the community. Comprising Russell Crossroads are  The Stables; SpringHouse, an upscale Southern-styled restaurant; Catherine’s Market, a specialty grocery store and home to BRU 63, a new full-service coffee shop; the soon-to-debut Fanny Goldmine Diner where everyone can enjoy Southern favorites breakfast, lunch, and dinner; and the Discovery Center which serves as a welcome point and information site for guests and visitors.