Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken, South Carolina | |
---|---|
![]() The Aiken County Courthouse in August 2007 | |
Location of Aiken, South Carolina | |
Country | United States |
State | ![]() |
County | ![]() |
Incorporated | 1835 |
Government | |
• Type | Council-manager |
• Mayor | Fred Cavanaugh |
• City Manager | Richard Pearce |
Area | |
• Total | 20.8 sq mi (54.0 km2) |
• Land | 20.7 sq mi (53.6 km2) |
• Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km2) |
Elevation | 515 ft (157 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 29,494 |
• Density | 1,427/sq mi (550.8/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
Area code | 803 |
FIPS code | 45-00550Template:GR |
GNIS feature ID | 1244853Template:GR |
Website | www |
Aiken is a city in and the county seat of Aiken County, South Carolina, United States.Template:GR With Augusta, Georgia, it is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area. It is part of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. Aiken is home to the University of South Carolina at Aiken. The population was 29,494 at the 2010 census.[3] Aiken was recognized with the All-America City Award in 1997 by the National Civic League.
Geography and climate
Aiken is located at 33°32′58″N 81°43′14″W / 33.54944°N 81.72056°W (33.549397, -81.720689)Template:GR, near the center of Aiken County. It is 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Augusta, Georgia, along U.S. Route 1 and 78. Interstate 20 passes 6 miles (10 km) to the north of the city, with access via South Carolina Highway 19 (Exit 18) and US 1 (Exit 22).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.8 square miles (54.0 km2), of which 20.7 square miles (53.6 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2), or 0.68%, is water.[3]
Aiken has a humid subtropical climate, which is characterized by hot, humid summers and cool, dry winters, but experiences milder temperatures throughout the year than the rest of the state. Precipitation does not vary much between the seasons with mostly rain in the milder months and sometimes snow in the winter months.
Climate data for Aiken, South Carolina | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 82 (28) |
88 (31) |
89 (32) |
99 (37) |
101 (38) |
108 (42) |
108 (42) |
109 (43) |
100 (38) |
99 (37) |
88 (31) |
83 (28) |
109 (43) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 55 (13) |
60 (16) |
68 (20) |
76 (24) |
84 (29) |
90 (32) |
92 (33) |
91 (33) |
85 (29) |
76 (24) |
67 (19) |
59 (15) |
75 (24) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 33 (1) |
36 (2) |
42 (6) |
51 (11) |
60 (16) |
68 (20) |
72 (22) |
71 (22) |
64 (18) |
52 (11) |
42 (6) |
35 (2) |
52 (11) |
Record low °F (°C) | −4 (−20) |
9 (−13) |
13 (−11) |
21 (−6) |
34 (1) |
42 (6) |
51 (11) |
52 (11) |
37 (3) |
25 (−4) |
11 (−12) |
5 (−15) |
−4 (−20) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.74 (120) |
4.36 (111) |
4.86 (123) |
3.11 (79) |
3.83 (97) |
5.46 (139) |
5.10 (130) |
5.25 (133) |
3.80 (97) |
3.38 (86) |
3.64 (92) |
3.78 (96) |
51.31 (1,303) |
Source: The Weather Channel[4] |
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1880 | 1,817 | — | |
1890 | 2,362 | 30.0% | |
1900 | 3,414 | 44.5% | |
1910 | 3,911 | 14.6% | |
1920 | 4,103 | 4.9% | |
1930 | 6,033 | 47.0% | |
1940 | 6,168 | 2.2% | |
1950 | 7,083 | 14.8% | |
1960 | 11,243 | 58.7% | |
1970 | 13,436 | 19.5% | |
1980 | 14,978 | 11.5% | |
1990 | 19,872 | 32.7% | |
2000 | 25,337 | 27.5% | |
2010 | 29,494 | 16.4% | |
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 25,337 people, 10,287 households, and 6,758 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,566.3 people per square mile (604.6/km²). There were 11,373 housing units at an average density of 703.1 per square mile (271.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 66.63% White, 30.30% African American, 0.25% Native American, 1.28% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.49% of the population.
There were 10,287 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $49,100, and the median income for a family was $63,520. Males had a median income of $51,988 versus $28,009 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,129. About 10.1% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Aiken is governed via a mayor-council system. A mayor is elected at-large. The city council consists of six members. Four are elected from districts and the other two are elected at-large.
Historical events
The municipality of Aiken was incorporated on December 19, 1835. The community formed around the terminus of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company, a rail line from Charleston to the Savannah River, and was named for William Aiken, the railroad's first president.
In the late 19th century, Aiken gained fame as a wintering spot for wealthy people from the Northeast. The Aiken Winter Colony was established by Thomas Hitchcock, Sr. and William C. Whitney. Over the years Aiken became a winter home for many famous and notable people including George H. Bostwick, James B. Eustis, Madeleine Astor, William Kissam Vanderbilt, Eugene Grace, president of Bethlehem Steel, Allan Pinkerton, W. Averell Harriman, and many others.
Aiken was a planned town, and many of the streets in the historic district are named for other cities and counties in South Carolina, including Abbeville, Barnwell, Beaufort, Chesterfield, Colleton, Columbia, Dillon, Edgefield, Edisto, Fairfield, Florence, Greenville, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Kershaw, Lancaster, Laurens, Marion, Marlboro, McCormick, Newberry, Orangeburg, Pendleton, Pickens, Richland, Sumter, Union, Williamsburg and York.
Savannah River Plant
The selection of a site near Aiken by the United States Atomic Energy Commission to build a plant to produce fuel for thermonuclear weapons was announced on November 30, 1950. The site was named the Savannah River Plant (subsequently renamed the Savannah River Site in 1989). The facility contains five production reactors, fuel fabrication facilities, a research laboratory, heavy water production facilities, two fuel reprocessing facilities and tritium recovery facilities.
Historic places
- Aiken Golf Club
- Aiken Polo Club
- Aiken Preparatory School
- Aiken Tennis Club
- Hopelands Gardens[5]
- Palmetto Golf Club
- St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church
- Whitehall mansion
- The Aiken Colored Cemetery, Aiken Mile Track, Aiken Training Track, Aiken Winter Colony Historic District I, Aiken Winter Colony Historic District II, Aiken Winter Colony Historic District III, Chancellor James P. Carroll House, Chinaberry, Coker Spring, Court Tennis Building, Crossways, Dawson-Vanderhorst House, Immanuel School, Joye Cottage, Legare-Morgan House, Phelps House, Pickens House, St. Mary Help of Christians Church, St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church, Charles E. Simons, Jr. Federal Court House, Whitehall, and Willcox's are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[6]
Education
Schools
Public schools:
- Aiken High School
- South Aiken High School
- Lloyd Kennedy Charter School
- Aiken Middle School
- Kennedy Middle School
- Schofield Middle School
- Aiken Elementary School
- JD Lever Elementary School
- Millbrook Elementary School
- North Aiken Elementary School
Private schools:
- Aiken Christian School
- Aiken Preparatory School
- Mead Hall Episcopal School
- South Aiken Baptist Christian School
- St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic School, a private elementary and middle school
Colleges and universities
Steeplechase racing
The Aiken Steeplechase Association, founded in 1930, hosts the Imperial Cup each March and the Holiday Cup in October, both of which are steeplechase races sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association. This event shows attendances of more than 30,000 spectators.
The Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1977 as a tribute to the famous flat racing and steeplechase Thoroughbred horses that trained at the Aiken Training Track.
Other events
Aiken hosts many polo matches at the numerous polo fields located in the city. There are also many other events held in Aiken such as:
- The Lobster Races
- Aiken's Makin'
- Western Carolina State Fair
- Battle of Aiken Reenactment
- The Whiskey Road Race
- Aiken Triple Crown
- Fall Steeplechase
- Bluegrass Festival
Attractions
- Aiken County Historical Museum- A living museum, also known as "Banksia" after the banksia rose, displays special exhibits of items from residents.
- Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum- Displays the area's rich thoroughbred history with memorabilia, photography, and trophies.
- Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum- the railroad depot is located on the second floor and had nine dioramas displaying depicted railroad history.
- Aiken Center for Arts- Hosts educational classes, fine arts gallery, and exhibition opportunities.
- Aiken County Farmers Market- The oldest food market in South Carolina.
- Center for African American History, Art and Culture- Host special events of African American history.
- DuPont Planetarium and RPSEC Observatory- Provides live presentations of stars, constellation, and visible planets.
- Juilliard in Aiken- Live artistic performances, classes, lectures, and workshops.
- Rose Hill Estate- Historic housing for overnight stay, weddings, reunions, meetings, and dinner parties.
- Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site- Explore the events and lifestyle of enslavement.
Notable people
In the late 19th century and the first part of the 20th century, Aiken served as a winter playground for many of the country's wealthiest families such the Vanderbilts, Bostwicks, and the Whitneys.
- George H. Bostwick (1909–1982), court tennis player, a steeplechase jockey and horse trainer and an eight-goal polo player. "Pete" was the grandson of Jabez A. Bostwick, a wealthy Standard Oil partner.
- William C. Whitney, who helped establish the "Winter Colony", taking the small "Joye Cottage" and building a 69-room winter residence with 15 bathrooms a full-size ballroom and a stable to house 30 horses.
- Thomas Hitchcock and his wife Louise spent a great deal of time at their 3,000-acre (12 km2) estate near Aiken where in 1892 he founded the Palmetto Golf Club. In 1916, Louise Hitchcock founded the Aiken Preparatory School. The Hitchcocks built a steeplechase training center on their property and trained weanlings imported from England. In 1930, Thomas Hitchcock helped found the Aiken Steeplechase Association.[7] Fond of fox hunting, they also established the Aiken Hounds and in 1916 received official recognition from the Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America.
- Tommy Hitchcock, Jr. (1900–1944), son of Thomas and Louise Hitchcock, was born in Aiken. He is considered one of the greatest polo players of all-time. A veteran of the Lafayette Escadrille in World War I, he was killed in the service of his country in World War II.
- Hope Goddard Iselin, wife of Charles Oliver Iselin and the original owner of Hopeland Gardens in Aiken
- Fred L. Lowery, Southern Baptist clergyman, began pastorate at Bethel Baptist Church in Aiken in 1960
- Devereux Milburn, grandson of Charles Steele, a senior partner at J. P. Morgan & Company, a 10 goal polo player and one of what was known as the Big Four in international polo
- F. Ambrose Clark, noted American equestrian and heir to the Singer Sewing Machine Company fortune
- Seymour H. Knox II and his sister Dorothy Knox Goodyear Rogers, heirs to the founder of F. W. Woolworth Company
- William Ziegler Jr., adopted son of William Ziegler and heir to the Royal Baking Powder fortune
- William Kissam Vanderbilt had a home in Aiken called Elm Court.
- Frederick H. Prince, stockbroker and financier who purchased the William Kissam Vanderbilt cottage Marble House in Newport, Rhode Island
- Martha Schofield, educator
- Anna Camp, actress, best known as Sarah Newlin in the HBO series True Blood
- James Walter "Jimmy" Carter, champion boxer
- Barney Chavous, former American football defensive end/defensive tackle in the NFL. He played his entire thirteen-year career with the Denver Broncos from 1973-1985. Chavous was drafted to the NFL from South Carolina State University in the 2nd round.
- Corey Chavous, former All American football player playing 10 years in the NFL
- Dwight Filley Davis (1879–1945), tennis player and politician who is best remembered as the founder of the Davis Cup international tennis competition, had a home in Aiken.
- Robert C. De Large (1842–1874), born in Aiken, United States congressman from South Carolina in a contested election[8]
- Matilda Evans, first African-American woman licensed to practice medicine in South Carolina
- Eugene Odum, author of Fundamentals of Ecology. In 1951 he founded the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory south of Aiken to study the long-term ecological impacts of the Savannah River Site nuclear facility.
- Michael Dean Perry, former NFL defensive lineman, 6-time pro bowler (89-91, 93-94, 96), NCAA first-team All-American (1987)
- William Refrigerator Perry, former NFL defensive lineman and 3-time NCAA All-American (1982–1984)
- Grace Taylor, gymnast
- Strom Thurmond (1902–2003), former US senator who owned several residences in Aiken
- Dekoda Watson, athlete, linebacker with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2006 graduate of South Aiken High School
- Paul Wight (Big Show), seven-time world champion in wrestling.
- Paul Williams, current WBO Welterweight Champion
- Troy Williamson, professional football player
- Gamel Woolsey (1895–1968), writer who coined the phrase "pornography of violence" in her memoir of the Spanish Civil War, Death's Other Kingdom (also published under the title Malaga Burning), born in Aiken
- Marly Youmans, novelist and poet, born in Aiken
The Southside
The Southside is the southern area of the city of Aiken, which strongly increased in development after the construction of the Savannah River Site. It now serves as the premiere shopping district in Aiken County, being the location of the Aiken Mall, multiple retail stores, and several restaurants. Two large residential communities, Houndslake Country Club and Woodside Plantation, have multiple golf courses within the communities. Many newcomers take up residence in either Houndslake or Woodside; however, the most prestigious homes are located in historic downtown Aiken.
See also
References
- ^ About: City of Aiken, South Carolina
- ^ City Managers Office: City of Aiken, South Carolina
- ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Aiken city, South Carolina". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
- ^ "Average Weather for Aiken, SC – Temperature and Precipitation". Retrieved Nov 26, 2011.
- ^ "Hopelands Gardens". City of Aiken. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ http://www.aikensteeplechase.com/history.shtml
- ^ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/38px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png)
- Official website
- Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce
- Aiken Explorer, visitor's guide
- Visit Aiken!
- Aiken High School
- Savannah River Site History
- Hitchcock Woods, 2,100-acre (850 ha) urban forest
- Houndslake Country Club
- Mead Hall Episcopal School
- City of Aiken Historical Marker