The 1994 film Forrest Gump has become one of the late 20th century’s most iconic and beloved films. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump), Robin Wright (Jenny Curran), Gary Sinise (LT Dan Taylor), Mykelti Williamson (Benjamin Buford “Bubba” Blue), and Sally Field (Mrs. Gump), the movie captured the hearts of millions around the world as Forrest finds himself an active participant in some of the most history-defining moments of the 20th century.

True to his word, Forrest enters the shrimping business, an agreement he made with his Army buddy Bubba. Forrest buys an old shrimp boat in Bayou La Batre, Alabama. At first unsuccessful in his search for shrimp, Forrest then names his boat Jenny, partners with LT Dan (who becomes his First Mate), and survives Hurricane Carmen. As the last remaining shrimp boat, Forrest and LT Dan are the only ones left to provide shrimp along the Alabama coast, leaving them with a monopoly on the shrimping industry. The rest is “history.” Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is born, leaving them with “more money than Davy Crockett” and ultimately a fleet of 12 Jenny’s!

Did you know that much of the filming for Forrest Gump was shot in the Beaufort, South Carolina area? Did you know that the Jenny was not a movie prop, but a real South Carolina shrimping boat named Miss Sherri?

This is the story of the Miss Sherri, a boat turned movie star in her own right; a case of being in the right place at the right time, just like Forrest. With her transformation into the Jenny, Miss Sherri has achieved a form of immortality few shrimping boats ever obtain. Thanks to the efforts of South Carolina historian and model maker, Tom Boozer, the history of Miss Sherri has been documented, forever capturing the moment when a humble South Carolina shrimping boat became world renowned.

Here’s to you Miss Sherri, the Palmetto State’s most famous shrimper!