Free State of Jones

Based on historical events, Free State of Jones is a dramatization of a group of Mississippi residents who broke from the Confederacy during the Civil War. Filmed primarily in Louisiana, the Matthew McConaughey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw-led project included 3 actual direct descendants of Newton Knight as extras in the movie. While some of the more remote areas of Chicot State Park were used for the scenes where the group hid out in swamps, visitors can check out downtown Clinton – a couple of hours’ drive from the park – for town scenes from the movie. The East Feliciana Courthouse is the oldest continuously-used courthouse in the state, and has been featured in many films due to its striking architecture. Chicot State Park admission: $3/person, free for seniors 62 and older and for children 3 and younger