Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site is a significant historical landmark located near Union, South Carolina. It preserves the home of William Henry Gist, the 68th governor of South Carolina, who played a pivotal role in the state’s secession from the Union in 1860. The plantation offers insights into the antebellum South, the Civil War, and the Reconstruction era.​

The plantation house was constructed between 1828 and 1832, either by William Gist or his father, Francis Fincher Gist, on land purchased in 1811. Originally built in a Georgian style, the house underwent renovations in the late 1850s to adopt Greek Revival elements, including two-tiered porches and stuccoed brickwork. During his governorship from 1858 to 1860, William Gist used Rose Hill as the de facto governor’s mansion. From this residence, he corresponded with other Southern governors, advocating for secession in the event of Abraham Lincoln’s election, which ultimately led to South Carolina’s secession and the onset of the Civil War.

By 1860, Rose Hill was among the largest plantations in the Union District, with approximately 178 enslaved individuals laboring primarily in agriculture, cultivating cotton, corn, and oats. Some enslaved people also worked as skilled tradespeople and domestic servants. The plantation’s operations were heavily reliant on this enslaved workforce.

Following the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, the plantation transitioned to a system of tenant farming and sharecropping. The Gist family retained ownership of the property until 1938, when it was sold to the U.S. Forest Service. In 1942, Clyde T. Franks acquired the house and 44 acres, restoring it and opening it to the public. The South Carolina State Park Service purchased the property in 1960, establishing it as a state historic site.

Today, visitors to Rose Hill Plantation State Historic Site can explore the restored mansion, which features period furnishings and exhibits detailing the lives of its former inhabitants, both free and enslaved. The site includes formal gardens, a nature trail leading to the Tyger River, and the Gist family cemetery. Educational programs and guided tours are available, offering deeper insights into the complex history of the plantation and its role in South Carolina’s past.