Historic Markers

CRITERIA FOR SIGNIFICANCE

The subject of any marker erected on City property shall be an event, person, structure or place that has local importance and, wherever possible, significance in the broader pattern of Alabama or national history.

Examples of markers that do NOT meet City criteria for significance:

• Markers solely of genealogical, family or personal interest
• Markers to living persons
• Markers to events, persons, structures or places less than 50 years old
• Markers to unprotected archaeological sites

MARKER FUNDING

• The City shall authorize and fund up to four (4) markers each year that satisfy the nomination requirements.
• The City shall not coordinate or fund markers on privately-owned property.
• No markers shall be installed on City property outside of those authorized by this nomination process.
• The City shall order markers through the Alabama Historical Association (AHA), which requires its Historic Marker Committee to edit the text for historical accuracy and to ensure it conforms to the marker fabricator’s formatting guidelines.

MARKER NOMINATION PROCESS

To formally nominate a marker, a Historic Marker Nomination Form must be submitted online and meet the following requirements:

• Application fee: $25
• Marker Content and Citation:
  • Marker text shall be concise and factual.
    • Avoid lofty statements and sweeping generalizations. Anchor your discussion in the physical space as much as possible.
  • Marker text shall be historically accurate:
    • It is the responsibility of the nominator to conduct research and provide source materials consulted for the marker text.
    • Documentation may include primary sources, letters, diaries, oral histories, books, academic journals, newspaper articles, historic imagery and maps. Photocopies of or links to source materials attached to the nomination form are highly preferable.
    • Information that cannot be verified shall not be included in the marker text.
  • Markers shall refrain from using inflammatory content and language, and adhere to the City’s Customer Use Policy:
    • “The use of obscene, threatening or harassing language is prohibited. Personal attacks of any kind of offensive comments that target or disparage any ethnic, racial, age or religious group, sexual orientation or disability status are prohibited.”
  • Marker Formatting:
    • Text may run up to 20 lines per side, with 62 spaces (not characters or words) per line. Generally, one side of a marker can be between 150 and 190 words in length.
  • Marker Location:
    • Identify preferred marker location by address, GPS coordinates, map or historic imagery.
    • No markers shall be installed around the downtown courthouse square or within Big Spring Park.
    • The City shall have final authority to select the marker location.

NOMINATION REVIEW TIMELINE

• Nomination forms shall be accepted through Sept. 30 for installation during the following fiscal year.
• Nominations shall be reviewed by City Preservation staff, Planning Commission, Traffic Engineering Department and an advisory council of local history professors.
• Approvals and denials shall be issued in the form of a letter to the nominator by Nov. 30.

Historic Marker Nomination Form