Secession Hill is located just east of modern‑day Secession Street, near the intersection of Branch Street and Secession Avenue in Abbeville, South Carolina.
Why it matters in U.S. history
- On November 22, 1860, nearly 3,000 South Carolinians gathered at what is now Secession Hill to endorse resolutions for the state’s secession from the Union, a step that directly led to South Carolina becoming the first state to secede in December 1860 and helped spark the Civil War.
- Abbeville has since earned the nickname “birthplace of the Confederacy” because the meeting at Secession Hill helped set in motion the chain of events that ended with the start of the Civil War at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861.
What to see at the site today
- The hill features a large stone memorial surrounded by engraved bricks, small headstones, and palmetto trees, marking the spot where secession speeches were delivered and votes were cast.
- There is also a grave for an unknown Confederate soldier buried on the site, plus historical markers and plaques explaining the events of November 22, 1860, making Secession Hill a key stop for visitors touring Abbeville’s Civil War–era landmarks.
