A commemorative event will be held December 27 to mark the 118th anniversary of the designation of Shiloh Military Park in Tennesse.

The event will begin with a 30-minute interpretive program about the establishment of the park, and how the park has changed since its creation to present day.

"Shiloh battlefield has seen notable changes in the past decade, such as the addition of the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center, new monuments on the battlefield, and hundreds of acres added to the park just to name a few. In the power-point presentation I will discuss the creation of the park, and some of the changes it has seen over the years," said Park Ranger Heather Smedley.

Shiloh was established on December 27, 1894, during a wave of nationalism and preservation in the United States. By the 1890s, many Americans had grown tired of the sectionalism which tore the country apart in the 1850s and 1860s, and the Reconstruction period that followed the war.

In addition, many civilians and veterans wanted to pay tribute to the bravery of Civil War soldiers, both North and South alike.

Shiloh was one of the first five military parks created, along with Chickamauga, Vicksburg, Antietam, and Gettysburg.

"Since its founding, not only has Shiloh Battlefield preserved the ground of the first major fight of the Civil War, it has also had far reaching effects on the local economy, providing numerous jobs, and as a mainstay of Hardin County tourism," said Shiloh Superintendent John Bundy.

The anniversary event will begin with the power-point presentation at 1:30 pm in the auditorium of the Shiloh Visitor Center. Following the program, Hardin County Convention and Visitors Bureau will present a birthday cake to the park for visitors to enjoy. This event is free and open to the public.