Design of the Shiloh National Military Park

Buckeye Bill

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I will be visiting the Shiloh National Military Park on July 21st, 2015. This will be my second visit (2011) and my son's first visit. I enjoyed my first visit but I was always puzzled by the National Park System's design of their official tour stops. Personally, I believe the visitor should stop at the visitor center, view the new movie (the old one was brutal) and start their tour where the battle began at Tour Stop - 7 (Fraley's Field). The NPS could have designed this battlefield in a chronological order to coincide with the two day battle (April 6th, 7th, 1862).

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I hope I am not nit-picking.......

Bill
 
I believe it is set up the way it is, since most visitors will just take a drive around the park in loop fashion. After two or three stops they might not bother to get out and walk a bit. There used to be an entrance on the south side of the park where Ed Shaws used to be. You can park there and walk in along the old road and if you look close enough you can see the foundation of the old gate. You'll end up right at you pic you posted.
 
After watching the movie at the VC, I drove to Fraley Field and parked. I did a lot of walking but I really understood the battle more by being able to walk the land, see the fields, and follow the movements chronologically. It took all day and I was pretty exhausted, but it was worth it. Make sure to bring a lot of water and some bug spray. The next day I used the auto tour to get a better understanding of what exactly happened at each of the stops. And then the following day, after I recovered a little from the first day (I'm really not in very good shape), I walked on other trails off the beaten path. Shiloh is an amazing place. When you get off the roads, you definitely feel you are on hallowed ground, especially when you come across one of the burial trenches. I hope you have time to explore Corinth while you are there. To get a perspective on where the railroads cross and where Shiloh is can help understand the story, also. There is also a wonderful Interpretive Center in Corinth.
 
I visited this battlefield in 2011 and completed the official NPS tour stops. This time I will be spending more time exploring the trails and wooded areas. Thank you for your advice!

I visited Corinth, Mississippi after our visit to Shiloh in 2011. We will be short on time, so I decided to visit Fort Pillow and Fort Donelson instead.

Bill
 
If it is any consolation, the old movie was circa early 1960's, the uniforms were from Sears and Roebuck and many of the soldiers carried '03 Springfields. I hope that you and your son have a safe and enjoyable trip.
 
After watching the movie at the VC, I drove to Fraley Field and parked. I did a lot of walking but I really understood the battle more by being able to walk the land, see the fields, and follow the movements chronologically. It took all day and I was pretty exhausted, but it was worth it. Make sure to bring a lot of water and some bug spray. The next day I used the auto tour to get a better understanding of what exactly happened at each of the stops. And then the following day, after I recovered a little from the first day (I'm really not in very good shape), I walked on other trails off the beaten path. Shiloh is an amazing place. When you get off the roads, you definitely feel you are on hallowed ground, especially when you come across one of the burial trenches. I hope you have time to explore Corinth while you are there. To get a perspective on where the railroads cross and where Shiloh is can help understand the story, also. There is also a wonderful Interpretive Center in Corinth.
FYI: TimK is the man behind Trailhead Graphics, those wonderfully detailed maps of major battlefields.
 
If it is any consolation, the old movie was circa early 1960's, the uniforms were from Sears and Roebuck and many of the soldiers carried '03 Springfields. I hope that you and your son have a safe and enjoyable trip.

A NPS Ranger sat in on our screening of the old movie in 2011. We were laughing throughout the movie. A couple of soldier's moustaches were made of electrical tape. 100% brutal.....
 
I will be visiting the Shiloh National Military Park on July 21st, 2015. This will be my second visit (2011) and my son's first visit. I enjoyed my first visit but I was always puzzled by the National Park System's design of their official tour stops. Personally, I believe the visitor should stop at the visitor center, view the new movie (the old one was brutal) and start their tour where the battle began at Tour Stop - 7 (Fraley's Field). The NPS could have designed this battlefield in a chronological order to coincide with the two day battle (April 6th, 7th, 1862).

View attachment 73157

I hope I am not nit-picking.......

Bill
You are exactly right. The first Shiloh movie left a lot to be desired.
 
Take your Trailhead map, pick a brigade and follow their steps from beginning to end. We did a hike a few years back where we followed in Patrick Cleburne's footsteps. The way the tablets are placed and marked it should be easy to plan a hike like that.
 
Yes, it's a good point about the main tour. I think it was originally laid out in the late 20's/early 30's, at a time when you still had a lot of visitors arriving via the river-landing. So from that perspective, it helps explain, somewhat anyway, the nature of the tour route. I don't believe it had any real major changes until 2008 or 2009, when more of the western side of the battlefield was finally included.

But I think the nature of the park, and the way the battle evolved, lend themselves a lot more to confusion than clarity no matter what. You don't really have to try to get turned around at Shiloh. It's included as part of the experience. :smile:

The worst thing about it as far as creating a tour goes, would seem to be the fact that it was basically two battles fought across the same ground on two different days. So no matter what you do or where you go, you're encountering markers and monuments for both days, facing all sorts of directions. Plus, after the opening segment of the battle on the 6th, the fighting began to splay-out, with the Confederate army more or less splitting in half and advancing on two fronts at the same time.

So to create a tour in chronological order would probably require a lot of back-and-forth across the park, going out and coming back, to cover both days. The current tour I guess is kind a of compromise in that respect, even though it's not perfect. But I suppose they have to consider that most visitors to the park will only have time for an overview, so to speak.

All that said, I still agree with the original point. I'm just not sure there's a better alternative. That's why they don't offer to pay me the big bucks to figure it out. :smile:

Perry
 
I agree the layout of the park is very confusing for a first time visitor that would like to view the stops in a chronological order.

One day I plan on visiting the park following (as close as possible) the routes & positions of my ancestors regiment
from Corinth to the battle field and the retreat back to Corinth.
 
The last time I visited, I entered at the South entrance which puts you closer to the Fraley's Field.

I recall my very first visit in 1973. I was impressed that they unit/commander markers were color-coded and shaped to identify the Army and Day. That make it abundantly clear to me.

I just wish Mississippi would pay for some markers for their regiments.
 
I've been to Shiloh 5 times in my life. First time in the 70's as a child and the in the 90's for the 135th "Muddy Shiloh" and then in the 2000's for book research and I've to see and walk and read everything.

Shiloh is dense compared to Chickamauga and I like the idea of picking a brigade and just following along. I sort of did that my 4th visit taking geographical notes for my novel for the various brigades in the story. Getting the lay of the land and trying to estimate distances in yards was interesting.

I didn't realize that the park used to have that southern entrance. I can see why the visitors center is where it is now, my wife always wants to hit any visitor's center first and get maps, pins, guides etc. and the entrance just naturally lends itself to the landing area.
 
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