• Newspaper
  • Community
  • History

    In 1884 Alexander City had become a thriving mercantile center. It was evident the town needed boosting, advertising and expanding generally. Adolphus Longshore, who had taught school, practiced law and been greatly interested in the upbuilding of his new hometown, sensed this situation and acquired a printing press. In a short while Alexander City’s first newspaper “The Beacon” was on the market.

    The name was well chosen; this weekly messenger was in truth a light shining far and near. After changing hands a number of times, the paper was purchased in 1892 by Capt. J.D. Dickson and the name was changed to one that has held for more than a century … “The Outlook.”

    Later The Outlook was sold to Mr. Fitz. O. Hooton, who was the sole owner, editor and publisher for more than 20 years. J.W. Hammer was editor until about 1912, next was William R. Jordan, E.C. Hall from 1925-1941 and Kenneth Bell from 1941-1944. J.C. Henderson purchased The Outlook in 1944 from Tom Russell. Henderson owned and published the newspaper and also wrote a column, which became one of the longest-running columns in the South.

    Boone Newspapers purchased The Outlook from Henderson in 1974. Kenneth Boone purchased The Outlook from Boone Newspapers, Inc. in 1991 and currently owns the paper. The Outlook?s parent company is Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., which also publishes a weekly newspaper, The Dadeville Record, and a slick monthly magazine called Lake. The Outlook is updated daily at www.alexcityoutlook.com.

    Mission

    The Outlook strives to:

    • report the news of our community honestly, fairly and with integrity;
    • take a leadership role and act as a positive influence in our community;
    • build commerce and promote business through advertising;
    • give our readers useful, interesting and entertaining information in every edition;
    • report local news, without exclusion;
    • strive for excellence in every facet of our operation;
    • provide for the welfare of our employees;
    • and, above all, treat our readers, our advertisers and our community as we would want to be treated ourselves.

    Circulation

    All of TPI’s publications reach a total of 20,000 households in the Lake Martin region.

    All of TPI’s publications reach a total of 20,000 households in the Lake Martin region.

    The Outlook publishes Tuesday-Saturday; the Dadeville Record publishes Thursdays. The Wednesday edition of The Outlook is total market coverage product that reaches 16,000 households in the greater Lake Martin area. Lake magazine is a slick, high-quality free monthly magazine distributed in more than 100 locations around Lake Martin.

    Internet presence

    www.alexcityoutlook.com
    www.thedadevillerecord.com
    www.lakemagazine.com
    www.kennethboone.com

    Awards

    Numerous awards from the Alabama Press Association for news and advertising, including General Excellence in from 1995-1999. In 2004 The Outlook earned second place honor in the General Excellence category.

    Community involvement

    Tallapoosa Publishers employees participate in Kiwanis, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Alexander City and Dadeville Area chambers of commerce, Alexander City Chamber of Commerce economic development committee, American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, United Way, Rotary Club, Alexander City Jazz Festival, Jett Williams Reunion Committee, and much more.

  • Geographic location

    Tallapoosa County is 718 square miles. Alexander City located only 78 miles southeast of Birmingham, 55 miles northeast of Montgomery, 123 miles southwest of Atlanta, and 70 miles northwest of Columbus, Ga. U.S. Highway 280 runs through Alexander City connecting cities from Birmingham to Savannah, Ga., and Interstate highways 85 and 65 are less than an hour away.

    Population

    Tallapoosa County: 41,475

    Coosa County: 12,202

    Alexander City: approximately 16,000

    Trade area population: approximately 125,000.

    Market

    Mostly industrial, with some timber and retail, and tourism with Lake Martin.

    Economy

    Alexander City is home to Russell Corp., a 100-year-old textile and apparel company specializing in athletic and sportswear. Russell is a major international company with corporate offices in Alexander City, where it was founded, and in Atlanta. Russell makes apparel sold in major retailers throughout the U.S. and also makes uniforms for a number of college and pro teams. Other industries include Avondale Mills, a textile company, and Robinson Iron, a family-owned foundry known internationally for its outstanding ironwork. The second largest employer besides Russell, which employs about 5,500 people in Alexander City, is Russell Medical Center. One of the biggest economic assets in the market is Russell Lands, the largest recreational developer in Alabama. Russell Lands has created more than a dozen lake neighborhoods on its 25,000 acres of land holdings around Lake Martin. The company also operates four marinas and number of Russell Do-It and Home Décor centers. In addition, Russell Lands manages the Lake Martin Amphitheater for outdoor concerts on the lake and the not-for-profit Children?s Harbor, which works to strengthen children and families though a variety of programs.

    History

    Alexander City was the site of one of the early towns of the Tuckabatche, a tribe of the Creek Confederacy. Founded originally as Youngsville, Alexander City was renamed after the Savannah to Memphis Railway was routed through Youngsville in 1873. The railway president was Gen. E.P. Alexander.

    Climate

    Alexander City typically experiences hot summers and mild winters.

    Education

    Tallapoosa County has two school systems, the Tallapoosa County School System and the smaller Alexander City School System, which share the Tallapoosa-Alexander City Vocational School, which offers focused instruction in several career clusters. Central Alabama Community College provides a two-year college education to more than 1200 students. The college also offers continuing education courses, and a new Textile and Apparel Technology Center is housed on campus.

    Culture

    Annual Alexander City Jazz Festival every June; Oktoberfest; Homestead Festival in downtown Alexander City each April; Alexander City Arts Inc. events throughout the year; Sarah Carlisle Towery Art Colony on Lake Martin.

    Recreation

    Lake Martin, with 750 miles of shoreline and 44,000 acres of water, much of which is in Tallapoosa County, is one of the United States largest man-made lakes. The Charles E. Bailey Sr. Sportplex has a football stadium equal to that of a small college. There are also soccer and softball fields, a horse riding arena, gymnasium, swimming pool, picnic area and the Imagination Station playground.

    Area information

    Alexander City Chamber of Commerce
    www.alexandercity.org