A proposal to place historic markers at locations significant to Selma’s Civil War history could provide another boost to Selma’s tourism efforts.

Recently, James Hammonds, with the April 1865 Society and the Battle of Selma, approached the Selma City Council about the possibility of placing some initial markers and adding at least one per year to create a walking trail.

“We feel like it would be a good idea to put them together downtown within walking distance,” Hammonds said. “We already have a list of 17 and it would be easy to find the coordinates. They have a good story to tell.”

The markers don’t come cheap at $2,500, Harrison said. However, they would not be an expense to the city.

“We can probably afford to do one a year,” he said. “We would also talk to civic groups and others to see if they would like to donate 10 percent. If you get enough of those together we might be able to do a couple each year and continue to add to the trail.”

Right now, because the group can’t place historic markers on city property without their approval, there are two steps involved.

First, Hammonds said, they must present the concept and have it approved. Once the city has approved the concept they must put together a plan.

If the markers are approved, Hammonds said he also hopes to have city workers help in placing the markers.

“Sometimes they are as easy to place as just digging a hole,” he said. “But when they fall in those areas that are covered in concrete it gets complicated.”

To ensure the markers are placed in the correct locations, Hammonds said he would like to have a drafting expert compare a city grid from 1865 to modern street grids.

“That way they can do an overlay and it will all come out balanced,” he said. “There is a good deal of prep work that needs to be done.”

The advantages to placing the markers are obvious, Hammonds said. The markers can be teamed with historic buildings like the Depot Museum and Vaughan-Smitherman Museum that are already marked to create a trail right away.

“That way, if people came to town and went to the chamber or somewhere like that and said they want to see something associated with the city’s Civil War history, they could walk the trail,” he said.

Because the plan is still just a concept, there is no target date for placing the first marker. Harrison said he hopes the plan is something the city would be interested in pursuing.