With its small-town charm, Southern flair, and array of outdoors activities, Aiken has been a top-ranked retirement destination for years. The city's convenient location, mild weather, and quiet way of life make it a great place for people to spend their golden years. One does not have to lo…

The city of North Augusta, founded in 1906, is Aiken County’s second-largest city and is located just across the Savannah River from Augusta, Georgia. The area was home to three previous towns, including Hamburg, which was the terminus for the Charleston-Hamburg railroad line, the longest in…

The City of Aiken, founded in 1835, is Aiken County’s largest city and the county seat. Known primarily as a former Winter Colony visited by wealthy Notherners, Aiken boasts dozens of beautiful homes dating back to that era. Other legacies of the winter colonists included Hitchcock Woods, a …

The land around Montmorenci, possibly named for a village in France, consisted mostly of cotton plantations before the S.C. Canal and Rail Road Company laid train tracks and built a station and turning facility in 1833. The railroad also passed through nearby Windsor on its way from Branchvi…

Situated on the land that once comprised the farm of Eldridge Gunter, the town of Wagener grew when the Southern Railroad built a line through Batesburg in 1887. A small community of just over 600, Wagener has a museum that documents the development of the community, with artifacts from form…

Habitat and wildlife diversity make Silver Bluff a favorite destination for those interested in birds, wildflowers, photography or simply a quiet walk. Visitors can enjoy the Silver Bluff Audubon Center and Sanctuary, situated on 3,000 acres along the Savannah River. The name derives from ea…

As home to the oldest inland settlement in the United States, Beech Island may be the most historical area of Aiken County. Savano Town began in the late 1600s when Indian tribes traded with settlers in the town, near present day Beech Island. Visit the Beech Island Historical Society and l…

Aiken County — By The Numbers

In my weekly column, now in its 33rd year, I often tackle topics related to the recorded history of this area. That record is long. Indeed, what would eventually become Aiken County appears in the manuscript journal of Hernando de Soto, who crossed the Savannah River in 1540 in search of sil…

The Aiken Golf Club

Aiken County Historical Museum

If you enjoy going out to eat, Aiken County is a great place to be. The dining scene includes innovative gourmet restaurants, meat-and-three lunchrooms, soulful barbecues and inconspicuous cafes that serve authentic dishes from throughout the Western Hemisphere. Here are five favorites – dow…

It’s no secret that Aiken County is blessed with many wonderful golf courses.

Aiken is an internationally recognized center of horse history and culture, and equestrian events are scheduled throughout the year. The Aiken Triple Crown kicks off in mid March with the Aiken Trials flat racing at the Aiken Training Track. Next is the Aiken Spring Steeplechase at the Aiken…

See history come alive with cannons, cavalry horses and living history experts at the Battle of Aiken each February. The booming cannons, charging soldiers and gunfire attract big crowds at the annual living history event. For three days, re-enactors eat, sleep, live and fight in a recreated…

Each year Nike and some of the nation's best high school basketball players arrive for Peach Jam, the championship of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.

The people of Aiken County have long realized the natural beauty of this area. Behind a brick serpentine wall along busy Whiskey Road is an urban refuge known as Hopelands Gardens. Brightly colored butterflies flit among the flowers, and turtles swim lazily in green pond water. Massive live …

A different kind of fox hunt is available in Aiken. Kitting Around Aiken, a partnership with the City of Aiken and Kitfox Pediatric Dentistry, is a permanent public art project and scavenger-style hunt for sleuths of all ages to enjoy. Six bronze baby foxes, or kits, have been installed in s…

Parks & Recreation Venues

The construction of the Charleston & Hamburg Railroad in the 1830s was an unprecedented engineering feat. Its builder was the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company, and Aiken, a stop along the way, was named in honor of the firm’s president, William Aiken. Two railroad engineers desi…

The Aiken County Public School District is South Carolina's sixth largest school district in population. The 4K-12 district was designated a Purple Star School District since the summer of 2019. This national program helps students from military families transition to new schools, which is e…

Aiken County is known for being rich in equestrian love. To honor the strong equine traditions, the community held an arts education fundraiser called "Horseplay" in 2003-04 where nearly 30 life-size fiberglass horse statues were created. These horses, with their own personalities and names,…

Things to do - From community events to festivals, here are a few signature reasons to visit this region each season.

Creative Attractions

Founded in 1952, the Aiken Community Theatre presents comedies, dramas and musicals – all performed by local talent. The theater, which boasts a year-round schedule of plays, presents performances in a state-of-the-art theater in the Amentum Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Aiken. …

The Midland Valley area is a region of Aiken County comprised of the small, unincorporated communities of Graniteville, Gloverville, Vaucluse, Warrenvile, Langley, Bath, Clearwater and the town of Burnettown. It's also known as the Horse Creek Valley, named for a small tributary of the Savan…

In 1871, then South Carolina Gov. Robert K. Scott signed the legislative act that authorized the creation of Aiken County on March 10.

If you look around downtown Aiken early on a Saturday morning, you might find a tour group zipping around on electric bikes. They are learning about the history of one of Southern Living’s “Best Small Towns.”

Fascinating is the word that Lauren Virgo uses to describe Aiken County’s past.

When the Winter Colonist discovered Aiken in the late 1800s, the wealthy visitors from up North made sure to bring their favorite leisure activities.

South Carolina is an agricultural state, and Aiken County is a great place for fresh produce. From roadside stands to large, commercial peach farms, Aiken County has it all.

Aiken Regional Airport, located at 129 Aviation Blvd., is city owned and for public use.

The Carriage House Inn property, circa 1872, was home to the Efron family with adjacent properties housing Efron Garage and taxi service.

Building on Aiken’s tradition since 1898, The Willcox cultivates a sophisticated, yet informal glamour amidst America’s storied thoroughbred country. 

The construction of the Charleston & Hamburg Railroad in the 1830s was an unprecedented engineering feat because the 136-mile train route was the longest in the world.

The 1920s and '30s marked the apex of the winter migration to Aiken, where some of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the country would join other Northern society members to extend their equestrian season, and take part in polo, steeplechase, as well as golf and tennis. Being of p…

Some of the most talented riders and horses in the sport of eventing train in Aiken during the winter, including members of the U.S. Olympic eventing team. 

The Aiken Triple Crown is a festive celebration of the area’s equine heritage that coincides with the arrival of spring in March.

Since its founding in 1835, people have flocked to historic downtown Aiken to work, worship, shop and dine.

Aiken Downtown Development Association is an organization made up of members and volunteers who all work to improve the economic vitality, enhance the beauty, and preserve the historical inheritance of downtown Aiken.

Thriving communities are a sign of a healthy populace, and Aiken County has a diverse field of medical specialists committed to driving their patients toward a healthy lifestyle.

Behind a brick serpentine wall along busy Whiskey Road is an urban refuge known as Hopelands Gardens.

There are more than 60 historical markers in Aiken County, according to the South Carolina Historical Marker Program. Many focus on the historic churches around the county. 

Each year Nike and some of the nation's best high school basketball players come to town for Peach Jam, the championship of the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League.

"Live, work, play" is the much-touted selling point of Riverside Village along the riverfront in North Augusta.

Learn more about what libraries in Aiken County have to offer at www.abbe-lib.org.

Founded in 1952, the Aiken Community Theatre presents comedies, dramas and musicals – all performed by local talent.

The Aiken Center for the Arts began as the Rose Hill Arts Center, at the Rose Hill estate on Barnwell Avenue, in 1972. In 1993, the center moved into its present location in downtown Aiken on Laurens Street.

The arts are part of Aiken County's culture.

Colorful horses dot Aiken's landscape. They are the result of Horseplay, an effort that raised approximately $250,000 for scholarships for children and the elderly at the Aiken Center for the Arts.

James U. Jackson founded North Augusta in 1906, and his home, Rosemary Hall, and the home of his brother Walter, Lookaway Hall, are each still standing and operating as bed and breakfasts. In front of Lookaway Hall is Calhoun Park, featuring a fountain, monument and statue of Jackson. Enjoy …

Rose Hill is a restored Winter Colony estate with a rich history from the founding family, the Phelps family, to each owner following, in art, history, music, horticulture, cultural events, Southern hospitality and more.