The Vicksburg National Military Park is known for two things — telling the story of the Siege of Vicksburg and its collection of commemorative monuments that led one Civil War veteran to call it “the art park of the world.”

The monuments have now been compiled as works of art in a new 100-page guidebook to the park titled “Art of Commemoration,” by Parker Hills, a retired brigadier general and expert on the Vicksburg Campaign. The book will be released at a 10 a.m. June 29 press conference on the steps of the park’s Illinois memorial, Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Bill Seratt said.

He said Vicksburg National Military Park superintendent Mike Madell also will release the park’s plans for the observance of the sesquicentennial of the siege during the program. A reception will follow at the Shirley House.

Seratt said 50,000 copies of the “Art of Commemoration” were printed at a cost of $40,000, which was funded by a $25,000 National Park Service Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative Grant and $15,000 from the VCVB.

He said copies will be available after the June 28 release at the VCVB’s visitor information center on Clay Street or through the bureau’s website at visitvicksburg.com. They are free.

“Because of the federal funding, we cannot charge money for the books,” Seratt said. “All we can charge is postage to mail them.

“This is a great example of community cooperation, where the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau worked with the park service on a project that enhanced both organizations’ missions,” he said.

“The purpose of the book is to enhance viewer appreciation of the commemorative memorials in the Vicksburg National Military Park by pointing out details in the art and architecture and by providing interpretive information,” Hills said.

“Art of Commemoration” lists 21 monuments in the park, including state memorials, memorials for units that participated in the siege and for individuals like Gen. Stephen D. Lee, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, Gen. John Pemberton, and Mississippi African-American Monument.

It provides directions to each memorial— including GPS coordinates — and a description and history of the monument and its sculptor.

The Vicksburg National Military park will observe the 150th anniversary of the siege with a yearlong series of events. The key observance will be Memorial Day weekend, May 23-27, to avoid the heat of Mississippi in July and not conflict with the commemoration of the battle of Gettysburg. Both battles ended on July 4, 1863.