5 Virginia Towns Where Famous Movies Were Filmed
Few American states can match Virginia when it comes to ready-made movie sets. A popular filming locale since the early days of cinema, Virginia’s well-preserved colonial-era architecture and its diverse (and stunning) landscapes continue to attract both independent and big-budget productions alike.
All of which makes the state an ideal place for film buffs to visit. Head to destinations like Colonial Williamsburg, the state capital of Richmond, or the scenic Allegheny Highlands, and you’ll find many locales that have been immortalized on the big screen. For ideas and inspiration, here are some of our five favorite Virginia towns where famous movies were filmed.
Richmond — Lincoln
Who better to bring the tale of the last few months of America’s most celebrated President to life than Steven Spielberg? And where better to do it than Richmond? The perfect dupe for 1860s Washington, D.C., Virginia’s state capital (and, ironically, the former capital of the Confederacy), Richmond hosted America’s most revered director along with cast and crew for 53 days of filming. In the process, they transformed the city and neighboring Petersburg into an authentic recreation of the nation’s capital during the Civil War era.
The House of Delegates chamber in the Virginia State Capitol proved to be the perfect setting for the film's dramatic congressional debates. It was here that Tommy Lee Jones, as Thaddeus Stevens, delivered his speeches advocating abolition. The Capitol's grounds also doubled for the exterior of the White House, as well as a military encampment.
While the grounds are open for film fans to wander from sunrise to well past sunset, the Capitol building, the seat of Virginia government since 1788 and the second-oldest working Capitol in the nation, can only be visited as part of a guided tour.
Another fantastic site to visit is the elegant and opulent Jefferson Hotel. A short walk from the Capitol, many cast and crew members stayed here during production. It’s worth popping in if only to peek at the hotel’s magnificent lobby.
Petersburg — Lincoln
Just 23 miles to the south, Petersburg played an equally important role in Lincoln. Here, historic Old Towne landmarks like the South Side Depot, a train station built in 1854, became the restaurant where Secretary of State William Seward secretly recruited lobbyists to secure votes for the amendment.
McIlwaine House, an attractive Federal-style residence dating to the 1790s, served as the home of a wavering congressman whom Lincoln personally lobbied. Both are within easy walking distance of downtown Petersburg.
Other must-see Petersburg attractions that made the film’s final cut include the unique City Market on Old Street, an octagonal building built specifically for locals to buy and sell their wares and produce. Though constructed in 1879 after Lincoln’s death, it proved too good not to use, and so served as a backdrop in scenes with disgruntled troops in the movie.
Colonial Williamsburg — John Adams
Film fan or not, Colonial Williamsburg is a must-visit for any American, or, for that matter, anyone with even the slightest interest in the country’s early history. The world’s largest living museum, this remarkable Virginia attraction has been a backdrop for numerous productions spanning nearly a century of filmmaking.
Hollywood first arrived in 1940 when director Frank Lloyd brought 15 train cars full of props and costumes to shoot The Howards of Virginia. Starring Cary Grant as a Virginia frontiersman during the American Revolution, this big-budget epic filmed at various sites around Colonial Williamsburg, including the Capitol, Raleigh Tavern, and the Governor's Palace.
More recently, Colonial Williamsburg provided key locations for Tom Hanks’ 2008 Emmy-winning HBO miniseries, John Adams. Sharp-eyed viewers will see the community standing in for the colonial cities of Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. Good use was also made of the Public Gaol, a stand-in for the jail where Adams met British soldiers after the Boston Massacre. The nearby College of William & Mary's Wren Building was also drummed into services for Harvard's interior, while the Public Hospital grounds doubled for Harvard Yard.
Also worth mentioning is Colonial Williamsburg's own film, Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot. Running continuously at the Visitor Center since 1957, it’s the longest continually running film in motion picture history, with upwards of 30 million people believed to have enjoyed it.
Toano — The New World
When it came to choosing the location to film a retelling of the real-life story of Pocahontas (it’s quite different from the Disneyfied version), nowhere else in the USA stood a chance against Virginia. Dubbed the Old Dominion due to its early roots as the English Empire’s most important North American colony, Virginia has something most historical film locations can only dream about: the chance to film in the actual areas where historic events occurred without having to change a thing.
So authentic was this 2005 production of The New World that a full-scale replica of James Fort was recreated along the Chickahominy River in Toano, just a short drive north of the original Jamestown site. Starring Colin Farrell as Captain John Smith, historians and archaeologists involved with ongoing excavations at Historic Jamestowne were drafted to ensure accuracy.
The remarkable attention to detail also included reconstructing the extinct Powhatan language, and actors and extras received training in period-accurate skills. The replica of the Powhatan village where Pocahontas lived was built across the river in the Chickahominy Wildlife Management Area. And, just as in real life, both the fort and village were burned to the ground during filming.
You can get a great sense of the landscape Captain Smith and Pocahontas would have known by taking a drive along the magnificent Colonial Parkway. Connecting Jamestown with Yorktown via Colonial Williamsburg, the parkway's many scenic overlooks and preserved wetlands provided key filming locations, including the memorable scene of Pocahontas and Smith in a field of shoulder-high goldenrod.
Pembroke — Dirty Dancing
Few films have developed as deep a connection with their filming location as 1987’s Dirty Dancing. Although set at a fictional resort in New York's Catskill Mountains, the film was actually shot in Virginia’s historic Mountain Lake Lodge. Made with a low budget and even lower expectations, this unexpected smash hit went on to make megastars out of Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey.
Located on Salt Pond Mountain near Pembroke, the resort was perfect for a movie set in the summer of 1963. It was also convenient, with most of the cast staying on site. Many of the film's most iconic moments captured on the grounds remain little changed, and a visit today reveals the gazebo where Swayze is first seen dancing, as well as the dining room where other pivotal scenes played out.
Diehard fans of this top romance can even stay in Baby's Cabin, named after Grey’s character. In addition to exploring the grounds and checking shooting locations off your must-see list, the resort hosts the Dirty Dancing Days Summer Festival. This fun immersive experience will have you mixing, mingling, and dancing with other fans of the hit movie.
The Bottom Line
In an age of CGI and green screen effects, Virginia’s many remarkable historic sites and amazing scenery make for some of the world’s best film backdrops. And for film lovers looking to capture a little of that movie magic for themselves, the chance to stand in the very spots where their favorite stars once stood is not to be missed. Virginia does indeed offer film fan experiences that very few states can match.
