Construction began by developing a village for the construction workers. The village, known as the “city of Cherokee Bluffs” contained 332 structures and a population of approximately 3,000, making it the largest city in the Tallapoosa Valley.  After the construction of the dam was finished, the village was converted for use by the Alabama Power workers who operated the dam. The remoteness of the site required a larger commissary, more organized leisure activities, and more entertainment for the workers. The village contained various housing, an amusement hall, a two room school, a church, pool hall, two mess halls, bakery and ice plant, barber shop, shoe shop, and a garage. The streets and buildings were of course, lit by electricity.