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“Shiloh National Military Park welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Superintendent Dale Wilkerson. “We are delighted to share the story of the most epic struggle in the Western theater of the Civil War. Both the Shiloh Battlefield, and the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center, offer unique experiences and provide our visitors the opportunity to experience the culture of West Tennessee and North Mississippi, especially our gateway communities of Savannah and Corinth. Both here, and throughout the nation, tourism is a significant driver in the economies of communities surrounding the parks, returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service. We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors in Tennessee and Mississippi and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain the local communities.”
Shiloh National Military Park was established on December 27, 1894. Shiloh Battlefield preserves the scene of the two-day battle, April 6 and 7, 1862, involving nearly 110,000 Union and Confederate troops, and resulting in 23,746 casualties, more casualties than the United States had experienced in every war it had fought to that time combined. This decisive Union victory enabled United States forces to advance on and seize control of the strategic Confederate railway junction at Corinth, Mississippi, on May 30, 1862.
From October 3-4, 1862, the fighting for Corinth renewed, with the engagement ending on October 5th at Davis Bridge, near Pocahontas, TN. The Battle of Corinth involved over 250,000 men, and resulted in an additional 12,000 casualties. On September 22, 2000, the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center and associated properties were made a part of Shiloh National Military Park.
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The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas of the U.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of the National Park Service. For the
State of Tennessee, the report shows that there were 9,332,220 visitors to National Park Units, with $637.7 million in spending in the communities near the parks, supporting 9,472 jobs in the local areas. For the State of Mississippi, the report shows that there were 6,619,146 visitors to National Park Units, with $197.4 million in spending in the communities near the parks, supporting 2,785 jobs in the local areas.
Nationwide, the report shows $18.2 billion of direct spending by 330 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 306,000 jobs nationally; 255,900 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $35.8 billion.
The lodging sector received the highest direct contributions with $5.5 billion in economic output to local gateway economies and 49,000 jobs. The restaurants sector received the next greatest direct contributions with $3.7 billion in economic output to local gateway economies and 60,500 jobs.
According to the 2017 report, most park visitor spending was for lodging/camping (32.9 percent) followed by food and beverages (27.5 percent), gas and oil (12.1 percent), souvenirs and other expenses (10.1 percent), admissions and fees (10.0 percent), and local transportation (7.5 percent).
Report authors also produced an interactive tool that enables users to explore visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/socialscience/vse.htm
To learn more about national parks in Tennessee and Mississippi and how the National Park Service works with communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to:
http://www.nps.gov/Tennessee
http:/www.nps.gov/Mississippi
Last updated: May 1, 2018