O Brother Where Art Thou? Right Here In Mississippi!
Recreate your own Mississippi Adventure SetJetting along the trail of O Brother Where Art Thou filming locations.
By Erik Nachtrieb & Viv Smith, SetJetters Founders
Imageⓒ Touchstone Pictures
O Brother Where Art Thou? A Coen Brothers film starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Nelson, and John Goodman contains filming locations across Mississippi, including Canton, Mendenhall, Yazoo City, Vicksburg, Natchez, and Edwards.
As an avid traveler and SetJetter, I love it when a film is shot where it’s set. I feel it’s what makes Scandi-Noir murder mysteries so bitingly cold, or Parisian love stories particularly romantic. It gives me that extra sense that I’ve traveled somewhere - even though I’ve spent a sedentary 2 hours enjoying the film!
O Brother Where Art Thou? is one of those films! Shot largely in Mississippi where the story takes place, its real life bank facades, antebellum main streets, and hazy swimming holes add a visceral texture to this rollicking southern adventure.
So let’s do what we do best at SetJetters, and use this Coen Brothers classic to travel to Mississippi, USA!
Canton
Tildabog Cabin | Coordinates: 32.69179, -90.01247
The opening credits start with the Chicken Chase for food at a remote cabin.
This scene was shot north of Jackson, and as these structures were used in the film you can get a nice ShotSync with them in the background (bring your own chickens!).
Please note: this is on private property but you can respectfully get the shot from the road.
Imageⓒ Touchstone Pictures & Google Maps
Canton Welcome Center | 147 North Union Street, Canton, MS 39046
The restaurant scene where Everett and Delmar meet Big Dan is found in the Canton Tourism and Welcome center (which is helpful for finding other things to do in Canton!).
We can see the column and the walkway behind them line up making for an easy ShotSync.
Imageⓒ Touchstone Pictures & Google Maps
Canton Town Square | 146 West Center Street, Canton, MS 39046
The Homer Stokes rally was set in the Canton Town Square in front of the Madison County Courthouse.
This is the exact location of the rally and we can see some of these buildings in the background of the speech as well as when the guys pull up to the rally.
Imageⓒ Touchstone Pictures & Google Maps
Canton Beyond The Frame
While Jackson is the state capital, Canton is the film capital of Mississippi!
Canton Movie Museums have saved the sets from several movies shot in town including A Time To Kill (Joel Shumacher’s movie based on the John Grisham novel), My Dog Skip and of course O Brother Where Art Thou?, plus many others.
Movie Museum tickets can be purchased at the Canton Welcome Center on the west side of the Square.
You can purchase a US$5 ticket (as of 2023) and receive your personal tour guide for the movie museums at the Canton Welcome Center. Be sure to call ahead to ensure that someone is available when you’re in town.
Mendenhall
D’Lo Waterpark | 135 D'Lo Park Road, Mendenhall, MS 39114
The Sirens in the river! This scene can be found at the D’Lo water park along the flat rocks. However, the big rocks the Sirens sat on were props (and the Sirens were actors so they won’t be there either).
Imageⓒ Touchstone Pictures & Google Maps
Mendenhall Beyond The Frame
The Waterpark itself is a nice reprieve from the heat in summer offering canoeing, camping and river floats, however information about the park is scarce and a bit confusing on the internet! Its listed website isn’t functioning but The Dyrt offers camping information and the Google Maps location is accurate.
Yazoo City
Hardware Store | 128 S Main Street, Yazoo City, MS 39194
The hardware store where Everett confronts his wife and gets thrown out onto the street is in Yazoo City.
The shop front is unchanged (as of 2023) and thus makes for another satisfying ShotSync (we love it when our users get into character too, so extra kudos for getting on the ground!)
Imageⓒ Touchstone Pictures & Google Maps
Bank Robbery | 304 South Main Street, Yazoo City, MS 39194
Also shot in Yazoo City is the scene where George Nelson and the guys rob a bank. Lucky for them, it is actually the Bank of Yazoo City building making for another good ShotSync.
Imageⓒ Touchstone Pictures & Google Maps
Yazoo City Beyond The Frame
A couple of fun stops while you’re in Yazoo County could include a visit to:
The oldest juke joint in Mississippi; Blue Front Cafe (20 minute drive south of Yazoo City)
The colorful buildings along Main Street in Yazoo City
Views of the historic Yazoo City and the flat Mississippi Delta from Broadway Hill
Fishing and boating on Wolf Lake - 12.8 kiolmeters (8 miles) northwest of Yazoo City off Highway 149
Ghost stories and confederate graves in Glenwood Cemetery
Get your teeth into delicious Southern dishes from Mississippi Cheese Straw Factory, Ubon’s Barbeque of Yazoo, and Simmons Farmed Raised Catfish
Vicksburg
Southern Cultural Heritage Museum| 1302 Adams Street, Vicksburg, MS 39180
The performance of this movie's amazing score was done in an auditorium found in Vicksburg.
The outside of this amazing building, the Southern Cultural Heritage Museum, wasn’t featured in the film but the interior of the auditorium can be used for more ShotSyncs.
Imageⓒ Touchstone Pictures & Google Maps
Alligator Lake | Coordinates: 32.42305, -90.89386
Nearby you can find the migration to the baptism scenes on Alligator Lake.
Imageⓒ Touchstone Pictures & Google Maps
Edwards
End Scene | Crump Lane & South Main Street, MS 39066
The final scene! Everett is told he’s got the wrong ring and the chorus of young girls trails behind him crossing the railroad can be recreated in the town of Edwards.
The road parallels the railroad tracks with the bridge in the background. The buildings, mansion in the background and the bridge all line up.
Imageⓒ Touchstone Pictures & Google Maps
Vicksburg & Edwards Beyond The Frame
American history buffs will know Vicksburg as the site of General Ulysses S. Grant’s successful siege of the fortress city, which became a key turning point in the Civil War. So it’s no surprise that there’s great museums here to explore the area’s military history, from the Old Depot Museum and tours of the Vicksburg National Military Park.
And for those who may be looking for something other than touring battle sites, may we suggest the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum!
Natchez
Pappy’s Mansion | 13688 River Road Highway 553, Natchez, MS 39120
If you float down the river from Vicksburg you’ll arrive at the Cedar Plantation in Natchez where Pappy and his son sit on his estate porch sipping sweet tea. We can see the column styles and porch match up.
Imageⓒ Touchstone Pictures & Google Maps
Natchez Beyond The Frame
Natchez is the place for pre-Civil War architecture, so once you’ve taken your ShotSync at Cedar’s Plantation you can continue your historic houses tour with visits to The Burn, Choctaw Hall, Dr John Bowman Banks House, Dunleith Historic Inn, Glenfield, and the First Presbyterian Church.
But it’s more than old homes, Natchez is beautifully nestled on the banks of the Mississippi and boasts a vibrant nightlife playing it’s part on the Mississippi Blues Trail (check out visitnachez.org for upcoming events).
You can also cycle along the Natchez Trace Parkway or enjoy boutique and antique shopping in town at Bowie Outfitters, A Gallerie, Conner Burns Studio, Franklin Street Relics or Darby’s Gifts & Decorative Accessories.
All scenes are included in the SetJetters app which is free to download. Let us know if we’re missing a key scenes (from this movie or any other!) through our “Submit A Scene” feature found in the app and on our website.
Our CEO Erik, has also chronicled all these scenes on his TikTok ! Follow him for more deep dives into hard to find locations!
SetJetters is the app that puts film locations in the palm of your hand.
Download for free on Android or Apple stores, and we look forward to seeing your photos from your favorite movie locations.
