The city of Selma is providing individuals the opportunity to get on their feet and step into the history of the Queen City with free guided tours in April.

Community leaders will guide tours through historic areas on Saturdays during the month. The one-hour tours will begin at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library at 10 a.m., and anyone interested in participating is asked to arrive shortly before 10 a.m.

Selma’s historic downtown area will be the center of attention, as tourists will make their way to places such as the Old Depot Museum, the St. James Hotel, the Performing Arts Center and various notable sites.

“It’s a good way to get to know about your community and what Selma has to offer because we have so many sites and attractions here,” said Sheryl Smedley, executive director of the Selma and Dallas County Chamber of Commerce.

The tours are like walking classrooms in your community, she said. Smedley encourages people to attend the tours to gain more knowledge about the community they live in.

“A lot of people may take for granted what we have here,” Smedley said. “It’s an opportunity to meet tourists or your neighbor, [and] at the same time, learn about your community.”

Other cities have joined Selma in presenting the wonders and beauties that make their cities shine. Birmingham, Dothan and Greensboro are among some of the 26 cities that will show what their city has to offer. Tours will be held on Saturdays for three weeks in April.

Brian Jones of the Alabama Tourism Department is the coordinator of the tours. He said Alabama is the only state in the U.S. to produce statewide concurrent walking tours.

“These walking tours are a great way to get out and enjoy the spring weather and find out about the history of our state,” Jones said. “We have done more than 2,000 walking tours since the beginning of the program twelve years ago, and they keep increasing in popularity every year.”