Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Rock Hill
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
Downtown Rock Hill, South Carolina, in the morning, showing historic brick buildings, a tree-lined street, and a tall flagpole under a partly cloudy sky.
Quizzes
Tower Bridge over the Thames River in London, England. Opened in 1894. Remains an Important Traffic Route with 40,000 Crossings Every Day.
Guess the City by Its River Quiz
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Rock Hill, South Carolina Downtown Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Rock Hill

South Carolina, United States
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
Last updated
•History

News •

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jermaine Johnson proposes a ‘new South Carolina’ at Rock Hill rally • Nov. 2, 2026, 7:34 AM ET (The Charleston Post and Courier)
Trump rallies in Rock Hill for Graham as he laments Whatley’s chances in NC • Oct. 29, 2026, 5:00 AM ET (The Charlotte Observer)
US Senate race in SC converges on Rock Hill as candidates vie for Ralph Norman loyalists • Oct. 29, 2026, 3:00 AM ET (The Charlotte Observer)
This SC artist’s drawings are in collections worldwide. His life is being honored in new documentary. • Oct. 28, 2026, 5:00 AM ET (The Charleston Post and Courier)
Rock Hill’s FARMacy reopens for a single-day produce giveaway • Oct. 23, 2026, 5:00 AM ET (The Charleston Post and Courier)

Rock Hill, city, York county, northern South Carolina, U.S., near the Catawba River, 26 miles (42 km) south of Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1851 as a depot on the Charlotte and South Carolina Railroad, it was named for a flint hill in the vicinity. During the American Civil War, Rock Hill was a transfer point for Confederate troops and supplies. Development of cotton mills in the area, beginning in 1867, spurred the community’s growth.

Industrial activity now centres on the production of textiles, power-driven hand tools, plastic products, and wood pulp. The Catawba River is dammed north of the city, forming Lake Wylie and furnishing hydroelectric power. Rock Hill is the seat of Winthrop University (1886) and York Technical College (1964). Catawba Indian Reservation and the Andrew Jackson State Park are nearby. Inc. town, 1870; city, 1892. Pop. (2000) 49,765; (2010) 66,154.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kenneth Pletcher.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.