The Patriot - Movies Filmed in South Carolina

The Patriot

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The Patriot: Overview

Director – Roland Emmerich
Cast – Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson, and Rock Hill native Leon Rippy
Genre – Drama
Plot – When his son is murdered by a cruel British officer, South Carolinian Benjamin Martin becomes a pivotal leader in the American Revolution.

Darby Farm in Chester County served as the location for many of the film's battle scenes as well as the largely cut scenes of Valley Forge. The farm also served as the production base of operations for nearly four months and is where many of the reenactors camped out in between shooting days.
Production headquarters were also located in Rock Hill. Revolutionary War reenactment battles were also staged in Rock Hill.
Historic Brattonsville served as the location for the Continental Encampment and the plantation in Camden used in the film. It was also used for parts of Charlotte Selton's (Joely Richardson) plantation. Interiors of the Howard's home were also shot in Historic Brattonsville.
Exterior shots of Charlotte Selton's plantation were filmed at Mansfield Plantation in Georgetown County.
Randolph Hall at the College of Charleston was used for interior shots of assembly meetings.
The beach slave camp was shot at Botany Bay on Edisto Island.
The Britisher's ball scene was shot at Middleton Place Plantation in Dorchester County.
The King's highway skirmish scene was shot at Fort Lawn.
Lowrys provided the locations for the Battle of Camden, Benjamin Martin's farm, and the town of Pembroke.
Cypress Gardens was used for the location of the Old Spanish Mission Black Swamp Militia's secret island headquarters. This is also where filming wrapped.

Filming took place for 101 days from September of 1999 to January of 2000. The whole movie was shot in South Carolina.
The Patriot was the largest employer in York County (the production's headquarters) while they were there.
The threat of Hurricane Floyd caused delays in the shoot, although it did not actually hit any of the filming locations.
Benjamin Martin's character is loosely based on the legend of South Carolina's famed "Swamp Fox," Francis Marion.
Benjamin Martin's (Mel Gibson) enemy in the film is Colonel William Tavington, based on the notorious historical figure Banastre Tarleton.
The Battle of Cowpens served as the inspiration for much of the film's military action.