Where Was “Steel Magnolias” Filmed?

Is Chinquapin, Louisiana a real place?

Before we can take a look at some of the real-life locations from the movie we first need to find out whether or not Chinquapin, Louisiana is a real place. Once we establish that we can go ahead and get to the bottom of the question: where was “Steel Magnolias” filmed?

Sometimes just because a Hollywood movie says it takes place in one place doesn’t necessarily mean it was filmed there. However, in the case of “Steel Magnolias”, they did actually film it in Louisiana.

According to Travel With Marilyn, both the movie and the play take place in Chinquapin, which is based in the Louisiana town of Natchitoches. The author of the play, Robert Harling, is actually from Natchitoches and the play was based on his experience losing his sister Susan.

You can even find a memorial park for Susan at the corner of Pine and Cypress street in town. Along with the “Steel Magnolias” walking tour put on by the town, you have quite a lot to see if you find yourself in Natchitoches.

The movie and play have done a lot for the small town. Robert Harling was able to give back to the community that raised him by bringing a constant stream of “Steel Magnolias” related tourism to the town.

Arlene Gould of the town’s tourism board had this to say in an interview with the Shreveport Times: “It put us on the map, for everyone who has seen the movie outside of Natchitoches it is synonymous with the movie. It had a tremendous impact on the tourism trade and on our community.”

Where in Natchitoches, Louisiana did they film “Steel Magnolias”?

Now that we know a little bit more about the origin of the story and the place where it’s set we can get to answering the question: where was “Steel Magnolias” filmed?

Before we get into the major locations like the “Steel Magnolias House,” we will first touch on a few lesser-known places you can find in Natchitoches.

According to The Cinemaholic, if you want to find the homes where Clairee and Shelby head down to Williams Avenue. They also mention that the hospital used in the movie is called Natchitoches Regional Medical Center and is located at 501 Keyser Avenue.

You can find the church where Shelby married Jackson, played by Tom Skerritt, at Natchitoches’ Saint Augustine Church.

Where did they film the “Steel Magnolias” house?

So much of the movie takes place at the iconic brick house with the serene porch known as the “Steel Magnolias House”. This is another stop on the tour through Natchitoches, and according to an article in Today, the 5,900 square foot home, located at 320 Jefferson Street, is now a bed and breakfast!

As of the writing of their article, rooms were about $200, and apparently, each was named after one of the characters from “Steel Magnolias”. They say that the interior of the home has mostly remained unchanged from the movie so fans can be sure they are getting the full experience when they visit Natchitoches.

The owner, Dan Dyess told Today about his usual clientele were at the bed and breakfast. “Mostly ladies get together and come over here with their daughters. You won’t believe the number of women I have met who have named their daughter Shelby.”

The movie has definitely stayed in the hearts and minds of its fans, enough for many of them to ask the question: where was “Steel Magnolias” filmed?

If you want to check out the “Steel Magnolias House Bed And Breakfast” be sure to check out their website where you can book a room for yourself. They also mention some more of the history of the home, saying it was built by Italian architects in the 1800s with bricks imported from France. They also mention that the home was possibly used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. So clearly, there are plenty of tales to tell from this house and possibly more to come!

Check out our list of 10 great movies filmed in New Orleans next!