Historical markers and heritage tourism: stakeholder insights from coastal Georgia

Historical markers are pervasive, yet understudied components of heritage landscapes within the United States of America. While research has examined markers’ representational politics, little is known about how historical markers function in practice as tools for interpretation, tourism development, and community engagement. Guided by stakeholder theory, authenticity theory, and place attachment, this study investigates how heritage, tourism, and public-sector professionals perceive and use historical markers in three counties in Coastal Georgia. Semi-structured interviews reveal historical markers serve as credible interpreters of local history, enhance heritage tourism experiences, and embed historical narratives into everyday landscapes. Stakeholders emphasized historical markers’ roles in fostering learning, encouraging exploration, and supporting rural visitation, while highlighting historical markers’ indirect value in dispersing tourists and reinforcing a sense of place. Findings also reveal ongoing representational challenges, particularly regarding African American and Gullah Geechee histories, as well as opportunities for more inclusive interpretation. By foregrounding stakeholder perspectives, this study demonstrates historical markers act as micro-scale heritage infrastructure shaping how history is understood, places are experienced, and value is created. This study contributes to heritage tourism scholarship by moving beyond text analysis to examine historical markers as dynamic elements of tourism systems and community life, offering practical insights for heritage organizations and policymakers.