Tulotoma Snail Trail

The Tulotoma Snail Trail will be the primary placemaking piece in a series of downtown art installments. Sculptures, murals and other art pieces will accompany signage detailing the unique history of downtown Wetumpka, as well as give shape to our ever-evolving identity. This project will help revitalize our historic business district by generating foot traffic and bringing attention to our beauty and one-of-a-kind personality, helping to improve the quality of life for all of our community.

The Tulotoma magnifica, otherwise known as the Tulotoma river snail, is indigenous to the winding Coosa River that flows through the middle of our quaint town. Once endangered, through flow restoration and water quality improvements, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service downlisted Tulotoma magnifica to threatened, making it the first species of mollusk to recover from the brink of extinction due to rebounding populations. Tulotoma magnifica continues to be a protected animal and remains an important part of the area's aquatic biodiversity.

The implementation of the "snail trail" will get people moving and living downtown again, strengthening local businesses and bringing vibrancy back to what was once the heart of our community. This comprehensive project will celebrate the stories, both told and untold, and also highlight our city center's eye-pleasing architectural elements. In doing so, people throughout the entire region will enjoy a revitalized downtown.

1. Phase One: Three concrete river snail sculptures, with accompanying signage, will be implemented to tell the history of the a) Tulotoma Snail, b) Fall Line, and c) historic business district of downtown Wetumpka. Additional murals and historic signage will also be added referencing other remarkable stories of our downtown.

2. Second Phase: Once given final approval, a friendly, playful bridge troll, also known as the "Guardian of the Snail," will be sculpted on-site under the Bibb Graves Bridge adjacent to the bridge walkway. In order to highlight the history of the iconic bridge, additional signange will accompany the art piece.

3. Third Phase: Once locations are determined, two additional sculptures illustrating the history of the Wetumpka Impact Crater, as well as the Creek Indians, will be added to points along the snail trail.

The overarching objective of gaining foot traffic and generating interest in our downtown is our primary goal. However, our downtown area has been the site of an overwhelming amount of significant (albeit unusual) history, and we want to share its story with a community we are confident will embrace it.

Through the years, our downtown has become less frequented, despite the fact that a remarkable amount of traffic consistently flows through it. We hope to help business owners and inspire growth by catching the interest of these passers-by to motivate them to linger longer in downtown.

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, and we plan to instill a sense of joy, pride and affection for our downtown by allowing the Tulotoma Snail Trail, a friendly bridge troll and other art pieces to introduce the public to and educate it about our once-threatened Tulotoma snail, as well as other significant and impactful historic events of our downtown area. We will accomplish this by preserving the integrity and history of our town through art.