For over twenty years, audiences have been touched by Tom Hanks' iconic role in the film Forrest Gump. The titular character charmed viewers on his park bench as he regaled others at a bus stop with his life story, which happened to coincide with notable events in American history. The film follows Forrest from childhood to adulthood, with a significant focus on his relationship with his friend Jenny, played by Robin Wright.
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The film won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Hanks, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects and Best Film Editing in addition to numerous Golden Globe nominations.
Here are 9 of the most notable Forrest Gump filming locations around the United States.
1. Chippewa Square
We all know the park bench where Forrest explained that "Life is like a box of chocolates." The bench, a prop made specifically for the film, was placed in Chippewa Square in Savannah, Georgia during filming. Four different benches were used over the course of filming, one of which was donated to the Savannah History Museum.
Even if you can't sit on the iconic park bench, Chippewa Square is still a gorgeous site to visit and is immediately recognizable to fans of the film.
2. Yemassee, South Carolina
In the film, Forrest grows up in the town of Greenbow, Alabama. This fictional town was actually in South Carolina. The Gump family boarding house, where Forrest lived with his mother, played by Sally Field, was built specifically for the film and was torn down as soon as the film was completed. But if you'd like to visit the stretch of road where Forrest runs away from the school bullies, enter the following address into Google Maps. Just be mindful that if you run too far, you'll end up on someone's private property. "Run, Forrest Run!"
3547 Combahee Road
During Forrest's cross-country run, you also get a glimpse of the nearby small town, Beaufort, as Forrest gets interviewed by the press while running along the Richard V. Woods Memorial Bridge.
3. Fripp Island & Hunting Island
Hollywood decided not to film the Vietnam War scenes overseas and instead opted for these barrier islands on the South Carolina coast.
4. Washington, D.C.
Who could forget the scene where Forrest sees Jenny wading in the water between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial and runs towards her?
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5. Marshall Point Lighthouse, Maine
One of the most significant plot points in the film is Forrest's decision to go on a run across the country. When he runs to the Atlantic Ocean, this is the lighthouse that you see in the film.
6. Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
During Forrest's three year run, he spent time on the stunning Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. The area near Grandfather Mountain even became known as the "Forrest Gump Curve" based on its notable appearance in the film.
7. Twin Arrows Trading Post, Arizona
Towards the end of Forrest's cross country run, he not only develops a following of runners but has multiple people seek him out for inspiration. He meets someone trying to come up with a clever bumper sticker, and after running through "sh*t," the man makes the well-known bumper sticker, "sh*t happens."
During the scene where Forrest gets approached by a man looking for a t-shirt design, he gets sprayed by mud from a truck driving by and wipes his face on the man's shirt. The smiley face t-shirt was born. You can see the two arrows behind them, a notable Route 66 stop outside of Flagstaff.
8. Monument Valley, Utah and Arizona
When Forrest finally decides that he is "pretty tired" and ends his incredible 3-year run, he is running along a stretch of highway in Monument Valley.
9. The University of Southern California in Los Angeles
In the film, Forrest's running skills land him a football scholarship at the University of Alabama. But all of the college scenes were actually filmed at USC in Los Angeles.
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