History Isn’t a Hurdle—It’s a Launchpad

If there’s one thing I’ve learned after spending over two decades working with communities across Alabama, it’s this: the path to economic renewal isn’t always paved with new technology or flashy developments. Sometimes, it begins by looking backward—by honoring the people, places, and stories that built the community in the first place.

Too often, local history is seen as a sentimental side note. Something to be celebrated once a year at the county fair, but not something that’s central to economic strategy. I believe that’s a mistake. Heritage is one of the most undervalued and underutilized assets a community has.

When we understand and elevate our past, we don’t just preserve it—we turn it into a tool for growth.

Stories Shape Strategy

Every community has a story, whether it’s one of industrial roots, agricultural legacy, civil rights milestones, or frontier resilience. These stories are more than historical facts—they are emotional touchstones. They give people a sense of place, pride, and purpose.

When I visit a town that has invested in its heritage—restoring a historic courthouse, showcasing local artifacts, hosting walking tours, or even just painting murals that honor the past—I can feel the difference. Visitors linger. Businesses want to be part of something meaningful. And most importantly, local residents feel seen.

In economic development, we talk about branding, tourism, and workforce retention. Heritage helps with all three. A strong story attracts attention, builds community cohesion, and gives people—especially young people—a reason to stay and build something where their roots already run deep.

From Preservation to Progress

Let me be clear: heritage-driven development isn’t about freezing a place in time. It’s about using the past to inform the future. It’s about preserving what matters while finding new ways to bring it to life.

I’ve worked with communities that turned old cotton gins into co-working spaces, train depots into community centers, and abandoned schoolhouses into innovation hubs. These aren’t just renovations—they’re reinventions.

By giving new purpose to historic spaces, we generate jobs, increase property values, and invite entrepreneurship. We also avoid the high costs and environmental impact of new construction, all while protecting what makes the community unique.

Tourism with Meaning

One of the most obvious benefits of heritage-based economic development is tourism. But not just any kind of tourism—the kind that brings in visitors who want more than souvenirs. These are people who want experiences. They want to walk the same roads their ancestors walked. They want to hear the stories that shaped the region. They want to eat local food, shop at local stores, and leave with more than a postcard.

In Alabama, we have no shortage of heritage worth sharing. From Civil Rights landmarks to Native American history, from small-town traditions to world-changing innovations, our stories are deep and diverse.

But to turn heritage into tourism revenue, we must invest in it. That means signage, programming, marketing, and, most importantly, community involvement. The best heritage tourism efforts are the ones that involve local storytellers, artisans, and students—people who don’t just perform history, but live it.

Education and Economic Empowerment

Heritage doesn’t just attract outsiders—it builds insiders. When young people know the history of their town, they see it differently. They understand where they come from. And when they’re invited to be part of preserving and promoting that history, they become stakeholders in their community’s future.

I’ve seen student-led oral history projects turn into podcasts. I’ve seen youth create walking tours using QR codes and mobile apps. I’ve seen teenagers design logos and websites for local museums. That’s not just education—that’s economic empowerment.

When we connect education with heritage, we give young people practical skills, civic pride, and a reason to stay engaged. That’s how we grow the next generation of local leaders.

Policy That Honors Place

If we want heritage to be more than a nice idea, we need policy that backs it up. I often work with local and state leaders to ensure that preservation isn’t pushed aside by zoning laws or lost in the rush to develop. Smart policy makes room for heritage—it doesn’t erase it.

That means offering incentives for restoration, not just new construction. It means protecting historical districts without stifling growth. It means involving local historians and cultural leaders in economic planning, not just tourism marketing.

When heritage is part of the conversation from day one, communities build smarter, stronger, and more sustainable futures.

The Economic Value of Belonging

At the end of the day, economic development isn’t just about dollars—it’s about belonging. People want to live and work in places where they feel connected. Where they know the stories behind the streets they drive and the buildings they pass. Where they see themselves not as isolated individuals, but as part of a larger story.

That’s what heritage gives us. It reminds us who we are. And in doing so, it gives us the courage and clarity to decide who we want to become.

In my work across Alabama, I’ve seen struggling communities find new life not by chasing the latest trend, but by rediscovering what was already there. When we lead with heritage, we don’t just remember the past—we build a future that’s worth remembering, too.