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Lake Guntersville Chamber of Commerce

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Previously known as Gunter's Ferry and later Gunter's Landing, Guntersville is a beautiful lake city situated at the southernmost point of the Tennessee River in northeast Alabama. began as a crossing on the Tennessee River. Guntersville has an outstanding school system, a thriving arts community, numerous recreational opportunities, beautiful neighborhoods, and excellent shopping and dining experiences. We hope this website can properly capture the beauty and warmth of the Guntersville community.

Guntersville was founded by John Gunter (1765–1835). John's own great-great-grandfather, of Welsh-English descent, had emigrated to the New World in 1644. John Gunter was the wealthy owner of a salt mine in the early 19th century. In order to obtain more land to mine, John struck a deal with the Cherokee tribe that inhabited the area to use in his household as servants, and as part of the deal, agreed to marry the tribal chief’s daughter and provide salt to the tribe. Initially incorporated as Gunter's Landing in 1848, it formally changed its name to Guntersville in 1854.

When the Tennessee Valley Authority began building a series of dams along the Tennessee River, Lake Guntersville was formed. Guntersville now sits on the 69,000-acre lake, the biggest in Alabama. The lake continues to be maintained and managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority, and bass anglers from around the country recognize this lake as one of the best in the country. Researchers have put this lake as the third best bass fishing lake in America. Sadly, Guntersville is also known as the last place in which Ricky Nelson ever performed as a singer. His last performance was at PJ's Alley in Guntersville on Monday, December 30, 1985. His private plane departed Guntersville the next day, New Year's Eve, and crashed near DeKalb, Texas.



A 52 Weeks of Fun Fascinating Fact about Guntersville

Guntersville founder John Gunter was the great-grandfather of American humorist Will Rogers.

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Sunset view of Lake Guntersville, created by the damming of the Tennessee River, and providing many recreational opportunities in northern Alabama.

The northern Alabama town of Guntersville is a city surrounded by Lake Guntersville, created in 1936 when the Tennessee Valley Authority dammed the southernmost point of the Tennessee River.

Built in World War II as a military armory for Company E, 167th Infantry Division, the Guntersville Museum has artifacts from the area dating back as much as 10,000 years.

Lake Guntersville, has been identified by the researchers has having the third-best bass fishing in the United States, in addition to offering a wide variety of outdoor recreational activities, including camping, hiking, hunting, fishing and water sports.

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