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Aiken, South Carolina

Aiken is the most populous city in, and the county seat of, Aiken County, South Carolina, United States.[9][10] According to 2020 census, the population was 32,025,[11] making it the 15th-most populous city in South Carolina, and one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area.

Aiken
Aiken County Courthouse
Nickname: 
The City of Trees
Aiken
Aiken
Coordinates: 33°32′58″N 81°43′14″W / 33.54944°N 81.72056°W / 33.54944; -81.72056
CountryUnited States
StateSouth Carolina
CountyAiken
Incorporated1835
Named forWilliam Aiken
Government
 • TypeCouncil–manager
 • MayorTeddy Milner[1]
 • City ManagerStuart Bedenbaugh[2]
Area
 • Total21.58 sq mi (55.90 km2)
 • Land21.45 sq mi (55.56 km2)
 • Water0.13 sq mi (0.34 km2)  0.60%
Elevation515 ft (157 m)
Population
 • Total32,025
 • Estimate 
(2023)
32,947
 • Density1,492.94/sq mi (576.42/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
29801-29805, 29808
Area codes803, 839
FIPS code45-00550[8]
GNIS feature ID1244853[6]
Websitewww.cityofaikensc.gov

Founded in 1835, Aiken was named after William Aiken, the president of the South Carolina Railroad. It became part of Aiken County when the county was formed in 1871. In the late 19th century, Aiken gained fame as a wintering spot for wealthy people from the Northeast. Thomas Hitchcock, Sr. and William C. Whitney established the Aiken Winter Colony. Over the years Aiken became a winter home for many notable people, including George H. Bostwick, James B. Eustis, Madeleine Astor, William Kissam Vanderbilt, Eugene Grace, president of Bethlehem Steel, Allan Pinkerton, and W. Averell Harriman.

Aiken is home to the University of South Carolina Aiken.

History edit

 
The Old Aiken Post Office in downtown Aiken

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.

During Sherman's March to the Sea in the American Civil War Sherman ordered Hugh Judson Kilpatrick and the cavalry corps he commanded to march through South Carolina. By February 5, they had reached Aiken County. While in Aiken County Kilpatrick fought Joseph Wheeler and his cavalry corps. This battle, called the Battle of Aiken, was a Confederate victory.[12][13][14]

Originally it was in the Edgefield District. With population increases, in 1871 Aiken County was organized, made up of parts of neighboring counties. Among its founding commissioners were three African-American legislators: Prince Rivers; Samuel J. Lee, speaker of the state House and the first black man admitted to the South Carolina Bar; and Charles D. Hayne, a free man of color from one of Charleston's elite families.[15]

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.

Between 1890 and the 1920s, many Jewish immigrants settled in Aiken. The Jewish immigrants were from Eastern Europe, including Russia and Poland. Many were from Knyszyn, Poland. In 1905, a group of Russian-Jewish socialists from New York founded a farming colony in Aiken County that was known as "Happyville". Adath (Adas) Yeshurun (Congregation of Israel) Synagogue was chartered in Aiken in 1921 and the cornerstone was laid in 1925. An historical marker was added to the synagogue in 2014, sponsored by the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina.[16][17][18][19] In 1903, the Jewish-American peddler Abraham Surasky was the victim of an antisemitic murder that occurred near Aiken.[20]

Aiken was the subject of a series of broadcasts by Orson Welles in July and August 1946 regarding the blinding and severe beating of Sergeant Isaac Woodard, a black World War II veteran.

Savannah River Plant edit

The United States Atomic Energy Commission's selection of a site near Aiken for a plant to produce fuel for thermonuclear weapons was announced on November 30, 1950. Residences and businesses at Ellenton, South Carolina, were bought for use for the plant site. Residents were moved to New Ellenton, which was constructed about eight miles north, or to neighboring towns.

The site was named the Savannah River Plant, and 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.

Geography and climate edit

 
Interactive map of Aiken

Aiken is near the center of Aiken County. It is 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Augusta, Georgia, along U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 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 21.58 square miles (55.9 km2), of which 21.45 square miles (55.6 km2) is land and 0.13 square miles (0.34 km2) (0.60%) is water.[5]

Aiken has a humid subtropical climate characterized by hot, humid summers and cool, dry winters, but experiences milder temperatures throughout the year than the rest of the state. Precipitation is distributed relatively uniformly throughout the year, with mostly rain in the milder months and occasional snow in the winter. The coldest recorded temperature was −4 °F or −20 °C on January 21, 1985, and the hottest 109 °F or 42.8 °C on August 21, 1983.

Climate data for Aiken 5 SE, South Carolina (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1893–present[a])
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 82
(28)
88
(31)
93
(34)
99
(37)
106
(41)
108
(42)
108
(42)
109
(43)
106
(41)
99
(37)
88
(31)
85
(29)
109
(43)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 57.6
(14.2)
62.0
(16.7)
68.4
(20.2)
77.3
(25.2)
85.5
(29.7)
90.2
(32.3)
93.4
(34.1)
91.6
(33.1)
86.4
(30.2)
77.7
(25.4)
66.8
(19.3)
59.8
(15.4)
76.4
(24.7)
Daily mean °F (°C) 44.8
(7.1)
49.0
(9.4)
54.7
(12.6)
62.9
(17.2)
72.0
(22.2)
78.6
(25.9)
81.9
(27.7)
80.4
(26.9)
75.3
(24.1)
64.9
(18.3)
54.2
(12.3)
48.1
(8.9)
63.9
(17.7)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 32.0
(0.0)
35.9
(2.2)
41.0
(5.0)
48.5
(9.2)
58.5
(14.7)
67.0
(19.4)
70.4
(21.3)
69.1
(20.6)
64.2
(17.9)
52.1
(11.2)
41.5
(5.3)
36.4
(2.4)
51.4
(10.8)
Record low °F (°C) −4
(−20)
6
(−14)
13
(−11)
21
(−6)
34
(1)
42
(6)
51
(11)
52
(11)
37
(3)
25
(−4)
11
(−12)
4
(−16)
−4
(−20)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 4.74
(120)
4.20
(107)
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)
51.15
(1,299)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 0.5
(1.3)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0.5
(1.3)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 9.2 8.1 7.9 6.8 6.8 10.1 10.5 10.5 7.2 6.2 6.9 8.6 98.8
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.2
Source: NOAA[22][23][24]

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18801,817
18902,36230.0%
19003,41444.5%
19103,91114.6%
19204,1034.9%
19306,03347.0%
19406,1682.2%
19507,08314.8%
196011,24358.7%
197013,43619.5%
198014,97811.5%
199019,87232.7%
200025,33727.5%
201029,56616.7%
202032,0258.3%
2023 (est.)32,947[11]2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[25]
2020[11][7]

2020 census edit

Aiken racial composition[26]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 19,757 61.69%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 9,076 28.34%
Native American 51 0.16%
Asian 640 2.0%
Pacific Islander 13 0.04%
Other/Mixed 1,271 3.97%
Hispanic or Latino 1,217 3.8%

As of the 2020 census, there were 32,025 people, 12,923 households, and 8,479 families residing in the city.

2010 census edit

At the 2010 census,[8] there were 29,524 people and 12,773 households with a population density was 1,416.3 inhabitants per square mile (546.8/km2). There were 14,162 housing units at an average density of 703.1 per square mile (271.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 66.8% White, 28.5% Black or 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 people of any race were 2.6% 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 edit

Aiken is governed via a Council–manager system. A mayor is elected at large. The city council consists of six members. All six members are elected from single-member districts.[1]

  • Mayor: Teddy Milner
  • District 1: Gail Diggs
  • District 2: Lessie Price
  • District 3: Kay Brohl
  • District 4: Ed Girardeau
  • District 5: Andrea Neira Gregory
  • District 6: Ed Woltz

Previous mayors edit

Aiken has had four previous mayors as of November 7, 2023, when Teddy Milner become the fifth mayor of Aiken.[27] The previous mayors include:

  • Dr. Edward Holbrook Wyman Sr. (1942–1946; died during his second term) – Served for 4 years.
  • H. Odell Weeks (1946–1990; retired) – Served for 44 years.[28]
  • Fred Cavanaugh (1991–2015; retired) – Served for 24 years.[29]
  • Rick Osbon (2015–2023; lost re-election to Teddy Milner) – Served for 8 years.[30]

Historic places edit

Education edit

Schools edit

  • Public schools:
    • Aiken Elementary School
    • Aiken High School
    • Aiken Middle School
    • Aiken Scholars Academy [34]
    • Chukker Creek Elementary
    • East Aiken School of the Arts
    • JD Lever Elementary School
    • Jackson STEM Middle School
    • Kennedy Middle School
    • Lloyd Kennedy Charter School
    • Millbrook Elementary School
    • North Aiken Elementary School
    • Redcliffe Elementary School
    • Schofield Middle School
    • Silver Bluff High School
    • South Aiken High School
  • Private schools:
    • Aiken Christian School
    • Mead Hall Episcopal School
    • Palmetto Academy Day School
    • St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic School
    • Second Baptist Christian Preparatory School
    • South Aiken Baptist Christian School
    • Town Creek Christian Academy [35]
  • Charter schools:
    • Lloyd Kennedy Charter School
    • Tall Pines Stem Academy
    • Horse Creek Academy

Colleges and universities edit

Library edit

Aiken has a public library, a branch of the ABBE Regional Library System.[36]

Steeplechase racing edit

The Aiken Steeplechase Association,[37] founded in 1930, hosts the Imperial Cup each March and the Holiday Cup in October, both races sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association. This event draws 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 trained at the Aiken Training Track.[38]

Other events edit

Aiken hosts many polo matches at its numerous polo fields. Other local events include:

  • Aiken Triple Crown
  • Aiken's Makin'
  • Battle of Aiken Reenactment
  • Bluegrass Festival
  • Fall Steeplechase
  • Hops & Hogs
  • The Lobster Races
  • Western Carolina State Fair
  • The Whiskey Road Race
  • Aiken City Limits (ACL)

Attractions edit

  • Aiken Center for Arts, hosts educational classes, a fine arts gallery, and exhibition opportunities
  • Aiken County Farmers Market, oldest food market in South Carolina[39]
  • Aiken County Historical Museum, also known as "Banksia" after the banksia rose, displays special exhibits of items from residents
  • Aiken State Park
  • Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum, displays the area's thoroughbred history
  • Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum, railroad depot has nine dioramas depicting railroad history on the second floor
  • Center for African American History, Art, and Culture, hosts special events on African American history
  • DuPont Planetarium and RPSEC Observatory, provides live presentations of stars, constellations, and visible planets
  • Hitchcock Woods, one of the largest urban forests in the United States, at 2100 acres[40]
  • Juilliard in Aiken, live artistic performances, classes, lectures, and workshops
  • Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site, slaves' and owners' lives depicted
  • Rose Hill Estate, historic housing estate

Notable people edit

In the late 19th century and the first part of the 20th century, Aiken served as a winter residence for many of the country's wealthiest families, such as the Vanderbilts, Bostwicks, and the Whitneys.

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Records kept at the Aiken 5 SE COOP (33°29′33″N 81°41′45″W / 33.4925°N 81.69583°W / 33.4925; -81.69583) until November 1, 2008, and at the Aiken 2 E COOP (33°33′00″N 81°41′49″W / 33.5501°N 81.6969°W / 33.5501; -81.6969) since January 24, 2009.[21]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Aiken City Council". www.cityofaikensc.gov. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  2. ^ "City Manager's Office". www.cityofaikensc.gov. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  3. ^ . Archived from the original on June 7, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  4. ^ "Welcome to the City of Aiken, SC".
  5. ^ a b "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  6. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Aiken, South Carolina
  7. ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  9. ^ . Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  10. ^ . National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  11. ^ a b c "QuickFacts: Aiken city, South Carolina". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  12. ^ "Battle of Aiken". [usurped]. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  13. ^ "The Yellow House and the Battle of Aiken". Aiken Regional Medical Centers. 2017-02-12. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  14. ^ "Battle of Aiken Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
  15. ^ Jim Nesbitt, "County, once booming, now shadows town it used to rival" 2008-11-20 at the Wayback Machine, Augusta Chronicle, 16 February 2004
  16. ^ "Happyville, the Forgotten Colony" (PDF). American Jewish Archives. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  17. ^ "Aiken Jewish community collection". College of Charleston. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  18. ^ . Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina. Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  19. ^ "Strangers in Paradise: A Century of Jewish Settlement in Aiken, SC" (PDF). Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  20. ^ "Suraskys and Poliers: The Old World Meets the New". Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  21. ^ "Threaded Extremes". threadex.rcc-acis.org.
  22. ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 31, 2020. Select "Aiken Area"
  23. ^ "Station Name: SC AIKEN 5 SE". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  24. ^ "Station Name: SC AIKEN 2 E". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  25. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  26. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  27. ^ Bradshaw, Abby (November 7, 2023). "Unofficial results indicate Teddy Milner as Aiken's new Mayor". WFXG. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  28. ^ Smith, Michael (April 4, 2017). "H. Odell Weeks became Aiken Mayor 71 years ago". AP News. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  29. ^ Staff (December 29, 2022). "Former longtime Aiken Mayor Fred Cavanaugh has died". wrdw.com. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  30. ^ "Mayor Osbon – A New Era in Aiken Leadership!". www.cityofaikensc.gov. December 14, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  31. ^ . City of Aiken. Archived from the original on June 27, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  32. ^ "Old Aiken Post Office transformed into SRNS Aiken headquarters" (PDF). Savannah River Nuclear Solutions. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  33. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  34. ^ "Aiken Scholars Academy / Homepage". acpsd.net.[permanent dead link]
  35. ^ "Town Creek Christian Academy - K-12 School; Birth-4K Preschool". Town Creek Christian Academy.
  36. ^ "South Carolina libraries and archives". SCIWAY. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  37. ^ "Aiken Steeplechase Association – Southern Strides".
  38. ^ . Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2007.
  39. ^ "Aiken County Farmers Market". Visit Aiken South Carolina. August 2, 2010. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  40. ^ "Hitchcock Woods Foundation - Aiken, SC". www.hitchcockwoods.org. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  41. ^ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
  42. ^ . Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2012.
  43. ^ "History". www.hitchcockwoods.org. May 14, 2018. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  44. ^ Ram, Herbert B. "Movie Theater Builder". www.scmovietheatres.com. Retrieved December 15, 2023.[dead link]
  45. ^ "Patricia Theatre & Little Patricia Theatre". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  46. ^ "Cinema 1-2-3". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  47. ^ Riddick, A. (2011). Memories of Growing Up and Living in Aiken, South Carolina, Rocket Publishing: Aiken, SC, pp. 305–307

External links edit

  • Official website
  • Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce

aiken, south, carolina, aiken, most, populous, city, county, seat, aiken, county, south, carolina, united, states, according, 2020, census, population, making, 15th, most, populous, city, south, carolina, largest, cities, central, savannah, river, area, aikenc. Aiken is the most populous city in and the county seat of Aiken County South Carolina United States 9 10 According to 2020 census the population was 32 025 11 making it the 15th most populous city in South Carolina and one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area AikenCityAiken County CourthouseSealLogoNickname The City of TreesAikenShow map of South CarolinaAikenShow map of the United StatesCoordinates 33 32 58 N 81 43 14 W 33 54944 N 81 72056 W 33 54944 81 72056CountryUnited StatesStateSouth CarolinaCountyAikenIncorporated1835Named forWilliam AikenGovernment 3 4 TypeCouncil manager MayorTeddy Milner 1 City ManagerStuart Bedenbaugh 2 Area 5 Total21 58 sq mi 55 90 km2 Land21 45 sq mi 55 56 km2 Water0 13 sq mi 0 34 km2 0 60 Elevation 6 515 ft 157 m Population 2020 7 Total32 025 Estimate 2023 32 947 Density1 492 94 sq mi 576 42 km2 Time zoneUTC 5 Eastern EST Summer DST UTC 4 EDT ZIP Codes29801 29805 29808Area codes803 839FIPS code45 00550 8 GNIS feature ID1244853 6 Websitewww wbr cityofaikensc wbr gov Founded in 1835 Aiken was named after William Aiken the president of the South Carolina Railroad It became part of Aiken County when the county was formed in 1871 In the late 19th century Aiken gained fame as a wintering spot for wealthy people from the Northeast Thomas Hitchcock Sr and William C Whitney established the Aiken Winter Colony Over the years Aiken became a winter home for many notable people including George H Bostwick James B Eustis Madeleine Astor William Kissam Vanderbilt Eugene Grace president of Bethlehem Steel Allan Pinkerton and W Averell Harriman Aiken is home to the University of South Carolina Aiken Contents 1 History 1 1 Savannah River Plant 2 Geography and climate 3 Demographics 3 1 2020 census 3 2 2010 census 4 Government 4 1 Previous mayors 5 Historic places 6 Education 6 1 Schools 6 2 Colleges and universities 6 3 Library 7 Steeplechase racing 8 Other events 9 Attractions 10 Notable people 11 See also 12 Notes 13 References 14 External linksHistory edit nbsp The Old Aiken Post Office in downtown Aiken 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 During Sherman s March to the Sea in the American Civil War Sherman ordered Hugh Judson Kilpatrick and the cavalry corps he commanded to march through South Carolina By February 5 they had reached Aiken County While in Aiken County Kilpatrick fought Joseph Wheeler and his cavalry corps This battle called the Battle of Aiken was a Confederate victory 12 13 14 Originally it was in the Edgefield District With population increases in 1871 Aiken County was organized made up of parts of neighboring counties Among its founding commissioners were three African American legislators Prince Rivers Samuel J Lee speaker of the state House and the first black man admitted to the South Carolina Bar and Charles D Hayne a free man of color from one of Charleston s elite families 15 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 Between 1890 and the 1920s many Jewish immigrants settled in Aiken The Jewish immigrants were from Eastern Europe including Russia and Poland Many were from Knyszyn Poland In 1905 a group of Russian Jewish socialists from New York founded a farming colony in Aiken County that was known as Happyville Adath Adas Yeshurun Congregation of Israel Synagogue was chartered in Aiken in 1921 and the cornerstone was laid in 1925 An historical marker was added to the synagogue in 2014 sponsored by the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina 16 17 18 19 In 1903 the Jewish American peddler Abraham Surasky was the victim of an antisemitic murder that occurred near Aiken 20 Aiken was the subject of a series of broadcasts by Orson Welles in July and August 1946 regarding the blinding and severe beating of Sergeant Isaac Woodard a black World War II veteran Savannah River Plant edit The United States Atomic Energy Commission s selection of a site near Aiken for a plant to produce fuel for thermonuclear weapons was announced on November 30 1950 Residences and businesses at Ellenton South Carolina were bought for use for the plant site Residents were moved to New Ellenton which was constructed about eight miles north or to neighboring towns The site was named the Savannah River Plant and 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 Geography and climate edit nbsp Interactive map of Aiken Aiken is near the center of Aiken County It is 20 miles 32 km northeast of Augusta Georgia along U S Route 1 and U S Route 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 21 58 square miles 55 9 km2 of which 21 45 square miles 55 6 km2 is land and 0 13 square miles 0 34 km2 0 60 is water 5 Aiken has a humid subtropical climate characterized by hot humid summers and cool dry winters but experiences milder temperatures throughout the year than the rest of the state Precipitation is distributed relatively uniformly throughout the year with mostly rain in the milder months and occasional snow in the winter The coldest recorded temperature was 4 F or 20 C on January 21 1985 and the hottest 109 F or 42 8 C on August 21 1983 Climate data for Aiken 5 SE South Carolina 1981 2010 normals extremes 1893 present a Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high F C 82 28 88 31 93 34 99 37 106 41 108 42 108 42 109 43 106 41 99 37 88 31 85 29 109 43 Mean daily maximum F C 57 6 14 2 62 0 16 7 68 4 20 2 77 3 25 2 85 5 29 7 90 2 32 3 93 4 34 1 91 6 33 1 86 4 30 2 77 7 25 4 66 8 19 3 59 8 15 4 76 4 24 7 Daily mean F C 44 8 7 1 49 0 9 4 54 7 12 6 62 9 17 2 72 0 22 2 78 6 25 9 81 9 27 7 80 4 26 9 75 3 24 1 64 9 18 3 54 2 12 3 48 1 8 9 63 9 17 7 Mean daily minimum F C 32 0 0 0 35 9 2 2 41 0 5 0 48 5 9 2 58 5 14 7 67 0 19 4 70 4 21 3 69 1 20 6 64 2 17 9 52 1 11 2 41 5 5 3 36 4 2 4 51 4 10 8 Record low F C 4 20 6 14 13 11 21 6 34 1 42 6 51 11 52 11 37 3 25 4 11 12 4 16 4 20 Average precipitation inches mm 4 74 120 4 20 107 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 15 1 299 Average snowfall inches cm 0 5 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 3 Average precipitation days 0 01 in 9 2 8 1 7 9 6 8 6 8 10 1 10 5 10 5 7 2 6 2 6 9 8 6 98 8 Average snowy days 0 1 in 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 Source NOAA 22 23 24 Demographics editHistorical population CensusPop Note 18801 817 18902 36230 0 19003 41444 5 19103 91114 6 19204 1034 9 19306 03347 0 19406 1682 2 19507 08314 8 196011 24358 7 197013 43619 5 198014 97811 5 199019 87232 7 200025 33727 5 201029 56616 7 202032 0258 3 2023 est 32 947 11 2 9 U S Decennial Census 25 2020 11 7 2020 census edit Aiken racial composition 26 Race Num Perc White non Hispanic 19 757 61 69 Black or African American non Hispanic 9 076 28 34 Native American 51 0 16 Asian 640 2 0 Pacific Islander 13 0 04 Other Mixed 1 271 3 97 Hispanic or Latino 1 217 3 8 As of the 2020 census there were 32 025 people 12 923 households and 8 479 families residing in the city 2010 census edit At the 2010 census 8 there were 29 524 people and 12 773 households with a population density was 1 416 3 inhabitants per square mile 546 8 km2 There were 14 162 housing units at an average density of 703 1 per square mile 271 5 km2 The racial makeup of the city was 66 8 White 28 5 Black or 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 people of any race were 2 6 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 editAiken is governed via a Council manager system A mayor is elected at large The city council consists of six members All six members are elected from single member districts 1 Mayor Teddy Milner District 1 Gail Diggs District 2 Lessie Price District 3 Kay Brohl District 4 Ed Girardeau District 5 Andrea Neira Gregory District 6 Ed Woltz Previous mayors edit Aiken has had four previous mayors as of November 7 2023 when Teddy Milner become the fifth mayor of Aiken 27 The previous mayors include Dr Edward Holbrook Wyman Sr 1942 1946 died during his second term Served for 4 years H Odell Weeks 1946 1990 retired Served for 44 years 28 Fred Cavanaugh 1991 2015 retired Served for 24 years 29 Rick Osbon 2015 2023 lost re election to Teddy Milner Served for 8 years 30 Historic places editAiken Golf Club Aiken Polo Club Aiken Preparatory School Aiken Tennis Club Hitchcock Woods Hopelands Gardens 31 Old Aiken Post Office 32 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 33 Education editSchools edit Public schools Aiken Elementary School Aiken High School Aiken Middle School Aiken Scholars Academy 34 Chukker Creek Elementary East Aiken School of the Arts JD Lever Elementary School Jackson STEM Middle School Kennedy Middle School Lloyd Kennedy Charter School Millbrook Elementary School North Aiken Elementary School Redcliffe Elementary School Schofield Middle School Silver Bluff High School South Aiken High School Private schools Aiken Christian School Mead Hall Episcopal School Palmetto Academy Day School St Mary Help of Christians Catholic School Second Baptist Christian Preparatory School South Aiken Baptist Christian School Town Creek Christian Academy 35 Charter schools Lloyd Kennedy Charter School Tall Pines Stem Academy Horse Creek Academy Colleges and universities edit Aiken Technical College University of South Carolina at Aiken Library edit Aiken has a public library a branch of the ABBE Regional Library System 36 Steeplechase racing editThe Aiken Steeplechase Association 37 founded in 1930 hosts the Imperial Cup each March and the Holiday Cup in October both races sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association This event draws 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 trained at the Aiken Training Track 38 Other events editAiken hosts many polo matches at its numerous polo fields Other local events include Aiken Triple Crown Aiken s Makin Battle of Aiken Reenactment Bluegrass Festival Fall Steeplechase Hops amp Hogs The Lobster Races Western Carolina State Fair The Whiskey Road Race Aiken City Limits ACL Attractions editAiken Center for Arts hosts educational classes a fine arts gallery and exhibition opportunities Aiken County Farmers Market oldest food market in South Carolina 39 Aiken County Historical Museum also known as Banksia after the banksia rose displays special exhibits of items from residents Aiken State Park Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum displays the area s thoroughbred history Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum railroad depot has nine dioramas depicting railroad history on the second floor Center for African American History Art and Culture hosts special events on African American history DuPont Planetarium and RPSEC Observatory provides live presentations of stars constellations and visible planets Hitchcock Woods one of the largest urban forests in the United States at 2100 acres 40 Juilliard in Aiken live artistic performances classes lectures and workshops Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site slaves and owners lives depicted Rose Hill Estate historic housing estateNotable people editIn the late 19th century and the first part of the 20th century Aiken served as a winter residence for many of the country s wealthiest families such as the Vanderbilts Bostwicks and the Whitneys Lee Atwater Republican strategist advisor to Ronald Reagan and George H W Bush raised in Aiken Charles E Bohlen U S diplomat raised in Aiken George H Bostwick court tennis player steeplechase jockey and horse trainer eight goal polo player Pete was grandson of Jabez A Bostwick wealthy Standard Oil partner Wesley Bryan PGA Tour Golfer Anna Camp actress played Sarah Newlin in the HBO series True Blood and Aubrey in the film Pitch Perfect Jimmy Carter boxer member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame Barney Chavous NFL player for the Denver Broncos Corey Chavous NFL player F Ambrose Clark equestrian heir to the Singer Sewing Machine Company fortune Robert C De Large born in Aiken U S representative for South Carolina s 2nd congressional district 41 Pam Durban American novelist and short story writer Matilda Evans the first African American woman licensed to practice medicine in South Carolina Leon Everette country musician known for writing Hurricane Helen Lee Franklin teacher and social justice advocate Thomas Hitchcock and wife Louise owned a 3 000 acre 1 200 ha estate near Aiken where in 1892 he founded the Palmetto Golf Club in 1916 Louise founded Aiken Preparatory School They built a steeplechase training center 42 and in 1939 founded Hitchcock Woods with 1 191 acres 482 ha of their estate 43 Tommy Hitchcock Jr son of Thomas and Louise Hitchcock born in Aiken polo player veteran of the Lafayette Escadrille in World War I killed in World War II Hope Goddard Iselin wife of Charles Oliver Iselin and original owner of Hopeland Gardens in Aiken Kevin Kisner PGA Tour Golfer DeMarcus Lawrence American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys Leon Lott commander of the South Carolina State Guard and Sheriff of Richland County Devereux Milburn grandson of Charles Steele a senior partner at J P Morgan amp Company a 10 goal polo player and one of what was known as the Big Four in international polo Janie L Mines First African American woman to graduate from the U S Naval Academy 1980 Eugene Odum author of Fundamentals of Ecology founded Savannah River Ecology Laboratory south of Aiken to study the ecological impacts of the nuclear facility Michael Dean Perry former NFL defensive lineman six time Pro Bowl selection 1989 91 93 94 96 NCAA first team All American 1987 William Refrigerator Perry former NFL defensive lineman with Super Bowl XX champion Chicago Bears and 3 time NCAA All American 1982 1984 Frederick H Prince financier who purchased William Kissam Vanderbilt s cottage Marble House in Newport Rhode Island William S Reyburn U S representative for Pennsylvania s 2nd congressional district Pat Sawilowsky past president of the National Ladies Auxiliary of Jewish War Veterans her father Herbert B Ram 44 owned and named Patricia Theater in downtown Aiken after her 45 and the companion Rosemary Theater 46 was named for her sister 47 Charlie Simpkins silver medalist triple jump 1992 Summer Olympics Marion Hartzog Smoak lawyer United States diplomat and South Carolina state senator Grace Taylor gymnast Dekoda Watson athlete linebacker with San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers William C Whitney helped establish Winter Colony a 69 room winter residence Paul Wight Big Show professional wrestler and actor seven time world champion in wrestling Troy Williamson professional football player Gamel Woolsey writer coined the phrase pornography of violence in her Spanish Civil War memoir Death s Other Kingdom also published as Malaga Burning Priscilla A Wooten American politician who served in the New York City Council from 1983 to 2001 Marly Youmans novelist and poetSee also editList of municipalities in South CarolinaNotes edit Records kept at the Aiken 5 SE COOP 33 29 33 N 81 41 45 W 33 4925 N 81 69583 W 33 4925 81 69583 until November 1 2008 and at the Aiken 2 E COOP 33 33 00 N 81 41 49 W 33 5501 N 81 6969 W 33 5501 81 6969 since January 24 2009 21 References edit a b Aiken City Council www cityofaikensc gov Retrieved August 19 2023 City Manager s Office www cityofaikensc gov Retrieved December 15 2023 Home City of Aiken Government South Carolina Archived from the original on June 7 2014 Retrieved June 6 2014 Welcome to the City of Aiken SC a b ArcGIS REST Services Directory United States Census Bureau Retrieved October 15 2022 a b U S Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System Aiken South Carolina a b Census Population API United States Census Bureau Retrieved October 15 2022 a b U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 31 2008 South Carolina State Library Aiken County Archived from the original on July 1 2014 Retrieved March 19 2014 Find a County National Association of Counties Archived from the original on May 31 2011 Retrieved June 7 2011 a b c QuickFacts Aiken city South Carolina United States Census Bureau Retrieved May 16 2024 Battle of Aiken battleofaiken org usurped Retrieved 2 October 2017 The Yellow House and the Battle of Aiken Aiken Regional Medical Centers 2017 02 12 Retrieved 2020 09 23 Battle of Aiken Historical Marker www hmdb org Retrieved 2020 09 23 Jim Nesbitt County once booming now shadows town it used to rival Archived 2008 11 20 at the Wayback Machine Augusta Chronicle 16 February 2004 Happyville the Forgotten Colony PDF American Jewish Archives Retrieved February 2 2020 Aiken Jewish community collection College of Charleston Retrieved February 2 2020 Adath Yeshurun Historical Marker Dedication Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina Archived from the original on February 2 2020 Retrieved February 2 2020 Strangers in Paradise A Century of Jewish Settlement in Aiken SC PDF Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina Retrieved February 2 2020 Suraskys and Poliers The Old World Meets the New Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina Retrieved May 20 2022 Threaded Extremes threadex rcc acis org NowData NOAA Online Weather Data National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved August 31 2020 Select Aiken Area Station Name SC AIKEN 5 SE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved August 31 2020 Station Name SC AIKEN 2 E National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved August 31 2020 Census of Population and Housing Census gov Retrieved June 4 2015 Explore Census Data data census gov Retrieved December 14 2021 Bradshaw Abby November 7 2023 Unofficial results indicate Teddy Milner as Aiken s new Mayor WFXG Retrieved April 18 2024 Smith Michael April 4 2017 H Odell Weeks became Aiken Mayor 71 years ago AP News Retrieved April 18 2024 Staff December 29 2022 Former longtime Aiken Mayor Fred Cavanaugh has died wrdw com Retrieved April 18 2024 Mayor Osbon A New Era in Aiken Leadership www cityofaikensc gov December 14 2015 Retrieved April 18 2024 Hopelands Gardens City of Aiken Archived from the original on June 27 2012 Retrieved August 16 2012 Old Aiken Post Office transformed into SRNS Aiken headquarters PDF Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Retrieved June 29 2017 National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 Aiken Scholars Academy Homepage acpsd net permanent dead link Town Creek Christian Academy K 12 School Birth 4K Preschool Town Creek Christian Academy South Carolina libraries and archives SCIWAY Retrieved June 7 2019 Aiken Steeplechase Association Southern Strides Aiken Training Track Archived from the original on March 6 2012 Retrieved March 20 2007 Aiken County Farmers Market Visit Aiken South Carolina August 2 2010 Retrieved May 2 2023 Hitchcock Woods Foundation Aiken SC www hitchcockwoods org Retrieved July 3 2018 Who Was Who in America Historical Volume 1607 1896 Chicago Marquis Who s Who 1963 Aiken Steeplechase Archived from the original on February 5 2012 Retrieved February 4 2012 History www hitchcockwoods org May 14 2018 Retrieved July 3 2018 Ram Herbert B Movie Theater Builder www scmovietheatres com Retrieved December 15 2023 dead link Patricia Theatre amp Little Patricia Theatre cinematreasures org Retrieved December 15 2023 Cinema 1 2 3 cinematreasures org Retrieved December 15 2023 Riddick A 2011 Memories of Growing Up and Living in Aiken South Carolina Rocket Publishing Aiken SC pp 305 307External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aiken South Carolina nbsp Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Aiken nbsp Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article Aiken Official website Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Aiken South Carolina amp oldid 1224235718 Education, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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