Home Mercy Street, filmed in Virginia, premieres Jan. 17 on PBS
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Mercy Street, filmed in Virginia, premieres Jan. 17 on PBS

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mercy streetMercy Street will premiere on Jan. 17 at 10 pm on PBS stations nationwide, immediately following Downton Abbey on MASTERPIECE.

The PBS drama was filmed in Petersburg and Richmond, and is set in Alexandria during the Civil War. The series features Josh Radnor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Gary Cole, Peter Gerety and Norbert Leo Butz, among other stars.

“Our partnership with PBS on Mercy Street is not only a win for the film industry in Virginia, but also for tourism,” said Governor Terry McAuliffe. “Travelers will come to visit Alexandria, where the historical events on which the series is based took place, and they will also come to see the sites in Petersburg and Richmond, where the series was filmed. Fans will have an exciting and dynamic itinerary when they come to Virginia—from the storied streets of Alexandria to the battlegrounds and historically significant attractions in Richmond and Petersburg.”

“The film and television industries in Virginia help boost our local economy, bringing jobs and revenue to the Commonwealth,” said Maurice Jones, Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “A television series like Mercy Street means ongoing ‘content manufacturing’ jobs for Virginia, which is the best way to grow our production infrastructure. We look forward to continuing this partnership with PBS.”

Based on real events, the series follows two volunteer nurses on opposite sides of the Civil War.  Mary Phinney is a staunch New England abolitionist, while Emma Green is a willful young Confederate belle.  As the boundaries of medicine are being explored and expanded, the role of women is also broadening.

PBS’ current popular drama, Downton Abbey on MASTERPIECE, which Mercy Street follows, contributed enormously to the UK’s tourism industry. Within the first year after Downton Abbey aired, visitors to Highclere Castle, where the show is set, increased from 30,000 to 50,000 per year.

“It is an extraordinary win for Virginia to host Mercy Street,” said Andy Edmunds, Director of the Virginia Film Office. “A television series is a gift that can provide exceptional opportunities for the Commonwealth for years to come.”

The economic impact of Virginia’s film industry is $413.6 million, and it provides $59.4 million in state and local tax revenue for the Commonwealth, as well as, 3438 full time jobs.

The Virginia Film Office is part of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the state agency charged with marketing the state of Virginia. Tourism is an instant revenue generator in Virginia. In 2014, visitors spent $22.4 billion, supporting nearly 217,000 jobs and contributing $1.5 billion in state and local taxes.

For more information on the Virginia Tourism Corporation, please click here.

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