It is known for Lake Martin with its 750 miles (1,210 km) of wooded shoreline and 44,000 acres (18,000 ha) of water.

Lake Martin stands on the Tallapoosa River and offers boating, swimming, fishing, golfing, and camping.

The city was renamed in honor of the railroad's President Edward Porter Alexander, hero of the Battle of Gettysburg for the Confederate States.

On June 13, 1902, at 1 pm, a fire broke out in the Alexander City Machine shop and destroyed much of the town.

[4] In 2015, plaintiffs represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center sued the City of Alexander and its Chief of Police Willie Robinson in federal court, alleging that they had from 2013 to 2015 operated "a modern-day debtors' prison" that unconstitutionally used its police force to arrest and detain at least 190 poor defendants who were unable to pay Municipal Court-imposed fines and costs.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

[12] At that time, it was the largest community in the county (though would lose the distinction to Dadeville for 1890–1900, reclaiming the title and holding it since 1910).

[14] The micropolitan statistical area was removed in 2013 by the United States Office of Management and Budget.

[19] In 1960, Alexander City precinct was changed to census division as part of a general reorganization of counties.

[21] Following a bench trial, the mayor was convicted of misdemeanor third-degree assault, but his wife was acquitted.

On April 17, 2006, the Russell Corporation was bought by Berkshire Hathaway for an estimated $600 million and merged into Fruit of the Loom.

The nearest rail passenger services are provided at Anniston, which is served daily by Amtrak's The Crescent to Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York.

There is a service provided by Arise Transportation that schedules one stop rides with a 24-hour advance notice.