In the early 1950s, a mining company asked first-generation American and second-generation cobbler, Paul Frank Romei, for permission to build a road across his property in Leeds, Alabama. They needed a route from Grants Mill Road to I‑20, and his approval was key. Romei, a savvy businessman, struck a deal: in exchange for the road, the company would excavate a lake on his land. They agreed to create a 17‑acre lake with a max depth of 30 feet.

The state assisted by stocking the lake with bream and bass and advising that it be fertilized annually to support healthy fish populations. Romei also retained the right to name the road. Of Italian heritage, he chose Rex Lake Road—“Rex” meaning “king” in Latin—loosely rendering the name “King of Lake Road.”

News of a stocked lake within 15 miles of downtown Birmingham attracted professional men—doctors, lawyers, and manufacturers—who wanted a nearby place to fish. In 1959, those interests led to the establishment of the Rex Lake Sportsman Club, where anglers could claim their own piece of the water and, in spirit, become the “king of the lake.” Membership was capped below 50 to preserve an exclusive experience.

For more than 67 years, Rex Lake Sportsman Club has remained family-run, hosting members and their families for fishing, crawfish boils, fish fries, Fourth of July celebrations, and other gatherings that forge lasting memories and strengthen community ties. Veteran members continue to serve on the board, carrying forward the Club’s legacy in the small town of Leeds, Alabama.