diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 074c3b4b..40eca831 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 ## 2.7.2 (Unreleased)
 
-  - [#187](https://github.com/airblade/paper_trail/pull/187) - Confirmed JRuby support.
   - [#219](https://github.com/airblade/paper_trail/pull/219) - Fixed issue where attributes stored with `nil` value might not get
   reified properly depending on the way the serializer worked.
+  - [#187](https://github.com/airblade/paper_trail/pull/187) - Confirmed JRuby support.
+  - [#174](https://github.com/airblade/paper_trail/pull/174) - The `event` field on the versions table can now be customized.
 
 ## 2.7.1
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 35fe148c..f5aaeefb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -193,6 +193,23 @@ class Article < ActiveRecord::Base
 end
 ```
 
+You may also have the `Version` model save a custom string in it's `event` field instead of the typical `create`, `update`, `destroy`.
+PaperTrail supplies a custom accessor method called `paper_trail_event`, which it will attempt to use to fill the `event` field before
+falling back on one of the default events.
+
+```ruby
+>> a = Article.create
+>> a.versions.size                           # 1
+>> a.versions.last.event                     # 'create'
+>> a.paper_trail_event = 'update title'
+>> a.update_attributes :title => 'My Title'
+>> a.versions.size                           # 2
+>> a.versions.last.event                     # 'update title'
+>> a.paper_trail_event = nil
+>> a.update_attributes :title => "Alternate"
+>> a.versions.size                           # 3
+>> a.versions.last.event                     # 'update'
+```
 
 ## Choosing When To Save New Versions
 
diff --git a/lib/paper_trail/has_paper_trail.rb b/lib/paper_trail/has_paper_trail.rb
index b6940edf..3201736f 100644
--- a/lib/paper_trail/has_paper_trail.rb
+++ b/lib/paper_trail/has_paper_trail.rb
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ module PaperTrail
         class_attribute :versions_association_name
         self.versions_association_name = options[:versions] || :versions
 
+        attr_accessor :paper_trail_event
+
         has_many self.versions_association_name,
                  :class_name => version_class_name,
                  :as         => :item,
@@ -190,7 +192,7 @@ module PaperTrail
       def record_create
         if switched_on?
           data = {
-            :event     => 'create',
+            :event     => paper_trail_event || 'create',
             :whodunnit => PaperTrail.whodunnit
           }
 
@@ -205,7 +207,7 @@ module PaperTrail
       def record_update
         if switched_on? && changed_notably?
           data = {
-            :event     => 'update',
+            :event     => paper_trail_event || 'update',
             :object    => object_to_string(item_before_change),
             :whodunnit => PaperTrail.whodunnit
           }
@@ -228,7 +230,7 @@ module PaperTrail
         if switched_on? and not new_record?
           version_class.create merge_metadata(:item_id   => self.id,
                                               :item_type => self.class.base_class.name,
-                                              :event     => 'destroy',
+                                              :event     => paper_trail_event || 'destroy',
                                               :object    => object_to_string(item_before_change),
                                               :whodunnit => PaperTrail.whodunnit)
         end
diff --git a/test/unit/model_test.rb b/test/unit/model_test.rb
index 0bc58070..dc5506fa 100644
--- a/test/unit/model_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/model_test.rb
@@ -1212,6 +1212,60 @@ class HasPaperTrailModelTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     end
   end
 
+  context 'custom events' do
+    context 'on create' do
+      setup do
+        Fluxor.reset_callbacks :create
+        Fluxor.reset_callbacks :update
+        Fluxor.reset_callbacks :destroy
+        Fluxor.instance_eval <<-END
+          has_paper_trail :on => [:create]
+        END
+        @fluxor = Fluxor.new.tap { |model| model.paper_trail_event = 'created' }
+        @fluxor.update_attributes :name => 'blah'
+        @fluxor.destroy
+      end
+      should 'only have a version for the created event' do
+        assert_equal 1, @fluxor.versions.length
+        assert_equal 'created', @fluxor.versions.last.event
+      end
+    end
+    context 'on update' do
+      setup do
+        Fluxor.reset_callbacks :create
+        Fluxor.reset_callbacks :update
+        Fluxor.reset_callbacks :destroy
+        Fluxor.instance_eval <<-END
+          has_paper_trail :on => [:update]
+        END
+        @fluxor = Fluxor.create.tap { |model| model.paper_trail_event = 'name_updated' }
+        @fluxor.update_attributes :name => 'blah'
+        @fluxor.destroy
+      end
+      should 'only have a version for the name_updated event' do
+        assert_equal 1, @fluxor.versions.length
+        assert_equal 'name_updated', @fluxor.versions.last.event
+      end
+    end
+    context 'on destroy' do
+      setup do
+        Fluxor.reset_callbacks :create
+        Fluxor.reset_callbacks :update
+        Fluxor.reset_callbacks :destroy
+        Fluxor.instance_eval <<-END
+          has_paper_trail :on => [:destroy]
+        END
+        @fluxor = Fluxor.create.tap { |model| model.paper_trail_event = 'destroyed' }
+        @fluxor.update_attributes :name => 'blah'
+        @fluxor.destroy
+      end
+      should 'only have a version for the destroy event' do
+        assert_equal 1, @fluxor.versions.length
+        assert_equal 'destroyed', @fluxor.versions.last.event
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   private
 
   # Updates `model`'s last version so it looks like the version was