Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site

The basics

Rose Hill Mansion dates back to roughly 1820 (actual date unknown), the former home of South Carolina governor William Gist, who aided South Carolina’s secession from the Union. The Georgian-style plantation house has been restored throughout the eras. However, it still showcases the past—a two-story porch, spiral staircase, fireplace-lit ballroom, and moss-dripping oaks successfully set the 19th-century scene.

Access to the mansion is only available via guided tour—those are typically available Thursday through Sunday; tours focusing on the plantation’s history of slavery run on Thursdays. The grounds, however, are open daily, with trails for easy walking, birdwatching, and picnicking.

Things to know before you go

• Tours can fill up. It’s encouraged, though not required, to book a reservation for any guided tour.

• Grounds tours are available upon request.

• The Gist family cemetery, upon to the public, is roughly a mile (1.6 kilometers) away.

How to get there

Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site sits in Union, South Carolina—an ironic name, to be sure. Your best bet is to get there in your own vehicle; look for a historical marker on Sardis Road at the front entrance that says “Rose Hill Mansion.” (It will be on your right if you’re heading north). Parking is available on-site.

When to get there

You’ll probably want to take a mansion tour during your visit—those are typically offered three times a day, so check the schedule in advance and plan your visit to coincide with the site’s schedule. Most visits last around 2–3 hours, and the grounds look especially pleasant around sunset.

Beyond the mansion

Before Emancipation in 1865, 178 enslaved persons worked on this plantation; after, the land was cultivated and cared for by tenant farmers. As you scour the grounds, look for a post-Emancipation tenant house. Keep your eyes peeled, and you’ll spot a few more ruins of other houses where descendants of former slaves also lived.