Clearing Lots is Second Nature

In our first year of Lake Wedowee Life, we featured a series of articles dedicated to the early days of Lake Wedowee and the men that helped develop it. Burlin Meadows, Chester Wortham, and Allen Taylor were all featured in 2008. All three men have passed Taylor in 2010, Meadows in 2014, Wortham in 2019. We chose to honor these men's legacies by reprinting Wortham's original story in its entirety.

Chester Wortham has been a part of Lake Wedowee since the very beginning and continues the same work he did more than 30 years ago.

"I went to work for Alabama Power in 1976 and I was the first one to run a tractor to grade off the start of the dam," Wortham said.

He continued with the power company until the early 1980's when he went into business for himself.

"I have graded lots all over this lake," Wortham said. "There isn't anywhere I haven't been with my equipment."

He admits now that in the early days it was easier because there were more lots with a gentle slope, but 30 years of experience and numerous equipment purchases later, Wortham feels confident in clearing any lot on this lake.

"We have turned a few tractors over in my time, but we have learned a lot along the way," he said. "There isn't a lot I wouldn't touch now. If people have the money, we can go in and clear it."

Being one of the first graders on the lake, Wortham has seen it evolve not only in price but also in restrictions.

"In the early days, Alabama Power was a lot more lenient on what we could do on the water," he said. "They have gotten a lot stricter over the years and I guess it makes sense because it protects the lake. That's one of the biggest changes other than the prices."

When Wortham first began clearing lots, the prices were a fraction of what they are today.

"Good point, lots back there where bringing $8,000 - $10,000," he said. "And some people thought that was too much because there wasn't as much money around back in those days."

Over the years, Wortham has gotten into buying and selling property in addition to clearing and grading lake lots. "The lake has been good to me. I have done well working on it," he said. "I am still doing what I started out doing, I just have bigger equipment now."

The lake and people's demand for property continues to surprise Wortham.

"We thought this thing would have bottomed out years ago, but there is still a draw for this lake and it continues to draw people," he said.

While the demand is still here, Wortham chuckles at the people who didn't buy into this lake when they had the chance.

"When this thing first came in, people wouldn't pay the prices back then, and now we hear all the time about people wishing they had bought back 10 years ago or in some cases 20 years ago. But the thing is they had the chance and didn't take the risk," he said. "Life is about risk and this lake proves that."

By: Kelly Caldwell