Once upon a time, a small, seemingly insignificant animal helped to save the City of Wetumpka.
The Tulotoma Magnifica river snail, indigenous to the Coosa River, was nearly extinct until the 1990s when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s federal scientists mandated that Alabama Power Company comply with the Clean Water Act. This set minimum water releases from Jordan Dam, allowing for greater water flow down the Coosa River.
The mandate not only saved the species, which requires moving water to survive, but also helped increase tourism for kayaking and paddling.
The City of Wetumpka is rooted in historical stories like this one, which its own residents may not even know.
Main Street Wetumpka strives to tell these stories of the town through its creation of the Tulotoma Snail Trail, which incorporates artistic elements, educational signs and beautification of the downtown area to increase awareness and appreciation.
“The idea of the project is to foster love for the community and provide an understanding of where we live. We want people to take pride in their community because when you’re proud of something you treat it differently,” said Jenny Stubbs, executive director for Main Street Wetumpka. “We say we’re helping the look of downtown catch up with its charm.”
Initial brainstorming for the project began with a crowd-funding challenge. Main Street was chosen as one of 15 Main Street designations throughout five states to participate in its cultivating place challenge. The organization partnered with ioby.org to provide a platform and raised more than $11,000 in just a few weeks, and amount over their intended goal and a great start for the first step of the project’s Phase One.
“I think what made our Main Street stand out from others was the potential they saw in our project to grow into something bigger than our initial idea,” said Stubbs, who took the position in fall of 2016.
The snail trail idea was the joint brainchild of Stubbs, Joe Champion and Ron Drinkard. Champion and Drinkard raised an additional $1,000 through a fundraising breakfast they voluntarily put together, and they have provided endless resources and input.
The comprehensive project, which will occur in phases, incorporates many different elements and locations, and its goal is to partner with the city to beautify the downtown, cultivate public spaces that are under-utilized and create an atmosphere where people will want to linger.
The first phase of construction will include three steps, the first of which will be the initial snail trail stop at the Elmore County Museum, formerly the city’s post office. The idea is to combine historical markers that can be renovated and restored, along with other historical elements of the town where their story can be told in an aesthetic setting.
“There is so much history that exists here that is hidden, and we are trying to bring it back out again,” said Stubbs.
Cory Worden of Beneath the Bark, a chain saw carving entity, created a 300-pound hand-carved wooden sculpture of the Tulotoma snail, which will be placed at the museum, along with signage about the building’s history. The creation of a stone walkway, instead of brick pavers, will better blend with the environment and historical nature of the adjoining marble museum, said Stubbs.
Before groundbreaking could begin on this stop, Stubbs realized they needed to do some work on the area itself. If the idea is to promote an aesthetically pleasing location for people to enjoy, the area itself must be restored to beauty.
Main Street has already worked with the city to repaint the flagpole and repair broken glass and are partnering with Precision Floor Care to fund a total restoration of the marble steps in front of the building. The hope is to have this stop complete by Sept. 15and to include a temporary exhibit of the Tulotoma Magnifica river snail within the museum and two outdoor benches that will match the new streetscape.
“It’s a lot of moving parts. We are so thankful for the opportunity to do this, but we need long-term perspective in terms of timing and issues. Undoubtedly though, it will be well worth the wait, sweat and tears,” said Stubbs.
The next snail trail stop will be in the alleyway and would be a much larger project. Funding must be secured before this task can be undertaken, and it will likely play out piece-by-piece, said Stubbs.
Each stop will contain an artistic element by an array of local artists, which is important to the process as Wetumpka prides itself on being an artistic town.
Main Street intends to create a presentation about the Tulotoma snail to share its significance with students, so they realize and appreciate its impact.
“We want kids to get excited about their community early on. If we start teaching kids now, just think how magnificent it will be 20 years from now when they’re the town leaders,” Stubbs said.
There are many different downtown historical elements to consider along this project, including the Alabama fall line, the Wetumpka impact crater, history of the Cherokees, Kelly Fitzpatrick, Horace King, the Crommelin Brothers and so much more, that the trail could be an ongoing project, especially as more people get involved.
“People in the community are really becoming a part of it because it’s their downtown and more is able to happen as more people volunteer their efforts and their love,” said Stubbs.
It may be nearly impossible to replicate history, but Stubbs said the goal is to maintain the historical integrity of the area and make it relevant to today.
For Stubbs, being embedded in the community was integral in being the right fit for the position and that passion must play a huge role.
“You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who loves downtown as much as I do. I believe in downtowns,” said Stubbs, who has spent nearly 20 years in the publishing industry writing about towns and what makes them unique, as each one has its own challenges and own advantages.
Since the initiation of Wetumpka Main Street in the summer of 2016, with the help of the organization’s board members and volunteers, including Dennis Fain and Lynn Weldon who did a great deal to help Main Street acquire its designation, Stubbs has seen incremental growth in the downtown area that is continually gaining momentum.
“There is a domino effect downtown of change and improvement,” said Stubbs.
