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An Elegant Past... The History
of Aiken
Courtesy of the Aiken Chamber of Commerce
Once called the "Sports Center of the South", Aiken, South
Carolina is a special place - one of America's most interesting
communities. A city of spacious parks, distinctive architecture,
and civic pride, the old is harmoniously blended with the new,
making it an ideal place to live. Aiken's life began officially
December 19, 1835, the dating of the charter of the town. It was
named for William Aiken, Sr., President of the South Carolina
Canal and Railroad Company, whose son later became Governor of
South Carolina. |
Between
January, 1830 and October, 1833, William Aiken was instrumental
in building what was then the longest railroad in the world, the
Charleston & Hamburg line - 136 miles long - one terminal being
Charleston, South Carolina and other Hamburg, South Carolina.
Prior to the event, Aiken was merely a " crossroads." This was
the first effort in America to build a railroad expressly for
locomotive power. The original train, known as the "Best
Friend," was the first locomotive constructed for regular
railroad service in the United States.
The construction of the
railroad was supervised by a young engineer from Boston, Alfred
A. Dexter, who was also authorized to plan and make a plat for
Aiken. This plat, dated September 24, 1834, provided for
boulevards 150 feet wide, laid out in a checkerboard pattern
with streets running north and south and avenues named for South
Carolina counties running east and west. This first street map
laid out the then proposed town as it exists today with wide
streets and parkways planted with flowering trees and shrubs.
Aiken made little commercial
progress until 1845 when William Gregg built nearby a village
and the first cotton mill in the south. The mill and the town
were called Graniteville because much of both were constructed
from locally quarried granite. Gregg was convinced that the
South's road to progress lay in industrial development and
particularly in spinning and weaving her own cotton. The first
cloth came off the looms in 1848 and since then the plant has
operated continuously. Industry increased as kaolin mining was
begun by Southern Porcelain Manufacturing Company in nearby Bath
in 1856.
In February of 1865 during the
Civil War when General Sherman entered South Carolina on his
march toward Columbia, he sent a detachment of the Fifth United
States Cavalry under the command of General Hugh Judson
Kilpatrick to destroy the cotton mill at Graniteville. General
Joe Wheeler and his confederates were ordered to oppose the raid
and General Kilpatrick, probably overestimating the strength of
General Wheeler's command, decided to retreat and the cotton
mill was saved. |
Aiken Library |
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Even in its infancy, Aiken was known and recognized as a health
resort. The town's beauty (and the railroad) brought the
lowlanders. They came from Charleston and the coastal
plantations to escape the summer heat and "noxious vapors" of
the marshlands. As the years progressed many visitors of wealth
and culture came to winter and established residences in Aiken.
The Golden Era for the winter colony began in 1890's when Mr.
and Mrs. Thomas Hitchcock began to lure their New York friends
to the resort. They built magnificent homes and estates and
brought with them the horses. The first horses provided the
aristocratic sports of Polo and riding to the hounds. Many
mementoes and relics of this era can be found at the Aiken
County Museum and the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame.
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Polo was
played in Aiken in 1882, six years after the game was
introduced in the United States. In 1889, the Aiken Polo
Club joined the United States Polo Association, becoming
its tenth member and for many years Aiken was known as the
Polo Center of the World. Today, polo
is still played at Whitney Field, the site of the longest
consecutive period of play on one field in the United
States. Club Polo, interspersed with exciting medium goal
tournaments, make Aiken's future secure in its second
century of play. The horses fared so well in the mild
winter climate that trainers congregated here to tone
their steeds for the spring races. They still do! Almost
every major race in the country has at least one Aiken -
trained horse in it. |
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Aiken's love for horses comes to a
crest during Aiken's Triple Crown - three successive week-ends
of Harness Racing - Aiken Trails and the Aiken Steeplechase.
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Building in
Aiken continued through the prosperity of the twenties and
into the depressed thirties. World War II slowed growth,
but the leisurely pace and quiet atmosphere changed quite
suddenly in the 1950's. Aiken began to experience it's
most dramatic period of growth when the Atomic Energy
Commission began construction of the Savannah River Plant
on a nearby site of almost 200,000 acres. The plant was
operated by E. I. DuPont de Nemours & Company for the U.
S. Department of Energy for 37 years. Today, Savannah
River Site is operated by Westinghouse Electric
Corporation and employs over 17,000 people. From this
beginning 65-70 manufacturing concerns have settled near
the city, manufacturing a wide range of products.
Supporting the industrial sector are many fine retail,
commercial and service companies. Schools, churches,
utilities and businesses have expanded. A Technical
College, specializing in the job needs of the Aiken area,
and the regional campus of the University of South
Carolina, a fully accredited four-year University, are
located here.
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The center of
medical care in Aiken is the HCA Aiken Regional Medical Centers,
multi-million dollar hospital that was completed in 1976.
Recreational activities abound. The Recreation and Parks
Department covers over 200 acres of parks, playgrounds, athletic
fields and courts and indoor facilities open to the public. More
than 70 instructional programs and special events are planned
each year. In Aiken, golf rivals riding as the favorite sport.
The Palmetto Golf Course, founded in 1893, is almost as old as
golf in America. The Highland Park Country Club course was
designed and opened in 1903. Other courses in the area include
Midland Valley Country Club near Graniteville, Houndslake
Country Club, Woodside Plantation (golf and country Club) and
Cedar Creek (golf and country club). The City, enjoying a new
wave of prosperity, continues to grow as employees of new
industries and visitors appreciate our unique way of life and
choose to make Aiken their home. |
"After living and
selling real estate for 26 years on Hilton Head Island, I have moved to
Woodside in
Aiken, South Carolina. Call me and I will tell you why!"
- Wally Busch
803-640-7978
Contact Wally
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