Rose Hill Plantation House

National Register Listing

Street Address:

Off U.S. 278, Bluffton, SC (Beaufort County)

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NRHP Nomination

Record Number:

S10817707030

Description and Narrative:

Rose Hill Plantation House is a large, two-story, frame, Gothic Revival residence. The house is believed to have been constructed for Dr. John Kirk and his wife Caroline ca. 1858-1860. Rose Hill was not completed before the Civil War and remained unfinished until ca. 1946 when John and Florence Sturgeon purchased Rose Hill and renovated it for their private residence. Rose Hill is significant as an exceptional example of antebellum Gothic Revival residential architecture. The asymmetrical composition, the picturesque roofline, and the tall proportions are common elements of the style. The details of Rose Hill, including the lancet arches, the clustered piers, the vertical board and batten siding, the traceried windows with quarrel panes, and the crocketed finials are all integral to Gothic Revival design. The renovation of Rose Hill ca. 1946-1949 by architect Willis Irvin painstakingly preserved most of the original fabric and matched all new construction to the style of the house. Listed in the National Register May 19, 1983.

Period of Significance:

1858;circa 1858 – 1860;circa 1946 – 1949;19th century;20th century

Level of Significance:

National

Area of Significance:

Architecture

National Register Determination:

listed

Date of Certification:

May 19 1983

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