Aiken is the most populous city in, and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of,

Aiken County, South Carolina Aiken County () is a county in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 168,808. Its county seat and largest community is Aiken. Aiken County is a part of the Augusta- Richmond County, GA-SC Metropolitan ...

, United States. According to 2020 census, the population was 32,025, making it the 15th-most populous city in South Carolina, and one of the two largest cities of the

Central Savannah River Area The Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) is an unofficial trading and marketing region in the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina, spanning thirteen counties in Georgia and seven in South Carolina. The term was coined in 1950 by C.C. McCol ...

. Founded in 1835, Aiken was named after

William Aiken William Aiken Sr. (1779 – May 5, 1831) was the founder and president of the pioneering South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company. and Born in County Antrim, Ireland, he immigrated to Charleston, South Carolina at age 10. He was rai ...

, the president of the

South Carolina Railroad The South Carolina Rail Road Company was a railroad company that operated in South Carolina from 1843 to 1894, when it was succeeded by the Southern Railway (U.S.), Southern Railway. It was formed in 1844 by the merger of the South Carolina Canal ...

. 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 The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—eac ...

. Thomas Hitchcock, Sr. and

William C. Whitney William Collins Whitney (July 5, 1841February 2, 1904) was an American political leader and financier and a prominent member of the Whitney family. He served as Secretary of the Navy in the first administration of President Grover Cleveland from ...

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 Madeleine Talmage Dick (''née'' Force; previously Astor, later Fiermonte; June 19, 1893 – March 27, 1940) was an American socialite and a survivor of the sinking of the . She was the second wife and widow of businessman John Jacob Astor IV. ...

William Kissam Vanderbilt William Kissam Vanderbilt I (December 12, 1849 – July 22, 1920) was an American heir, businessman, philanthropist, and horse breeder. Born into the Vanderbilt family, he managed his family's railroad investments. Early life William Kissam Vand ...

Eugene Grace Eugene Gifford Grace (August 27, 1876 – July 25, 1960) was the president of Bethlehem Steel from 1916 to 1945, and chairman of the board from 1945 until his retirement in 1957. He also served as president of the American Iron and Steel Institute ...

, president of

Bethlehem Steel The Bethlehem Steel Corporation was an American steelmaking company headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Until its closure in 2003, it was one of the world's largest steel-producing and shipbuilding companies. At the height of its success ...

Allan Pinkerton Allan Pinkerton (August 21, 1819Mackay (1997), p. 20; August 25 was the date of his baptism, which many sources incorrectly give as his birth date. – July 1, 1884) was a Scottish-American detective, spy, abolitionist, and cooper best known f ...

, and

W. Averell Harriman William Averell Harriman (November 15, 1891July 26, 1986) was an American politician, businessman, and diplomat. He was a founder of Harriman & Co. which merged with the older Brown Brothers to form the Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. investment ...

. Aiken is home to the

University of South Carolina Aiken The University of South Carolina Aiken (USC Aiken or USCA) is a public university in the Aiken, South Carolina area. It is part of the University of South Carolina System and offers undergraduate degree programs as well as master's degrees. Addi ...

History

The municipality of Aiken was incorporated on December 19, 1835. The community formed around the terminus of the

South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company The South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company was a railroad in South Carolina that operated independently from 1830 to 1844. One of the first railroads in North America to be chartered and constructed, it provided the first steam-powered, sched ...

, a rail line from Charleston to the Savannah River, and was named for

, the railroad's first president. During Sherman's March to the Sea in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

Sherman Sherman most commonly refers to: *Sherman (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname ** William Tecumseh Sherman (1820–1891), American Civil War General *M4 Sherman, a World War II American tank S ...

ordered

Hugh Judson Kilpatrick Hugh Judson Kilpatrick (January 14, 1836 – December 4, 1881) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, achieving the rank of Major general (United States), major general. He was later the United States Ambassador, Minister ...

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 Joseph "Fighting Joe" Wheeler (September 10, 1836 – January 25, 1906) was a military commander and politician of the Confederate States of America. He was a cavalry general in the Confederate States Army in the 1860s during the American Civil ...

and his cavalry corps. This battle, called the Battle of Aiken, was a Confederate victory. 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 Prince R. Rivers (c. 1824–1887) was a former enslaved man from South Carolina who served as a soldier in the Union Army and as a state politician during the Reconstruction era. He escaped and joined Union lines, becoming a sergeant in the 1st S ...

; Samuel J. Lee, speaker of the

state House State House or statehouse may refer to: Buildings *Aso Villa or State House, the official residence of the President of Nigeria *Government House, Dominica or The State House, the official residence of the President of Dominica * State House, Bar ...

and the first black man admitted to the

South Carolina Bar The South Carolina Bar (SC Bar) is the integrated (mandatory) bar association of the U.S. state of South Carolina. Organization The South Carolina Bar began in 1884 as the South Carolina Bar Association, a professional organization of approximat ...

; and Charles D. Hayne, a

free man of color In the context of the history of slavery in the Americas, free people of color (; ) were primarily people of mixed African, European, and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Native American descent who were not enslaved. However, the term also ...

from one of Charleston's elite families.Jim Nesbitt, "County, once booming, now shadows town it used to rival"
, ''Augusta Chronicle'', 16 February 2004 Aiken was a

planned town A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...

, 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 Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

immigrants settled in Aiken. The Jewish immigrants were from

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountain ...

, including

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

and

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

. Many were from

Knyszyn Knyszyn (, ) is a town in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland, northwest of Białystok. It is situated on the Jaskranka River, within the historic region of Podlachia. History In 1358 the territory became part of the Grand Duchy o ...

, Poland. In 1905, a group of Russian-Jewish

socialists Socialism is an economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes the economic, political, and socia ...

from

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

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. In 1903, the Jewish-American peddler Abraham Surasky was the victim of an

antisemitic Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...

murder that occurred near Aiken. Aiken was the subject of a series of broadcasts by

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American director, actor, writer, producer, and magician who is remembered for his innovative work in film, radio, and theatre. He is among the greatest and most influential film ...

in July and August 1946 regarding the blinding and severe beating of Sergeant

Isaac Woodard Isaac Woodard Jr. (March 18, 1919 – September 23, 1992) was an American soldier and victim of racial violence. An African-American World War II veteran, on February 12, 1946, hours after being honorably discharged from the United States Army ...

, a black

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

veteran.

Savannah River Plant

The

United States Atomic Energy Commission The United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by the U.S. Congress to foster and control the peacetime development of atomic science and technology. President Harry ...

'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 The Savannah River Site (SRS), formerly the Savannah River Plant, is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) reservation in the United States, located in the state of South Carolina on land in Aiken, Allendale and Barnwell counties adjacent to the ...

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

Aiken is near the center of Aiken County. It is northeast of

Augusta, Georgia Augusta is a city on the central eastern border of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. The city lies directly across the Savannah River from North Augusta, South Carolina at the head of its navigable portion. Augusta, the third mos ...

, along

U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, ...

and

U.S. Route 78 U.S. Route 78 (US 78) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that runs for from Swifton, Arkansas, to Charleston, South Carolina. From Byhalia, Mississippi to Graysville, Alabama, US 78 runs concurrently with Inte ...

Interstate 20 Interstate 20 (I‑20) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I-20 runs beginning at an interchange with I-10 in Reeves County, Texas, and ending at an interchange with I-95 in Florence, South Carolina. B ...

passes to the north of the city, with access via

South Carolina Highway 19 South Carolina Highway 19 (SC 19) is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It connects Aiken directly with the Savannah River Site and Edgefield via U.S. Route 25 (US 25). Route description SC&nbs ...

(exit 18) and US 1 (exit 22). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.60%) is water. Aiken has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

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 on January 21, 1985, and the hottest on August 21, 1983.

Demographics

2020 census

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

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 29,524 people and 12,773 households with a population density was . There were 14,162 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 66.8%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 28.5% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 1.28% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.44% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

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 Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $24,129. About 10.1% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

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. * 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

Aiken has had four previous mayors as of November 7, 2023, when Teddy Milner became the fifth mayor of Aiken. 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. * Fred Cavanaugh (1991–2015; retired) – Served for 24 years. * Rick Osbon (2015–2023; lost re-election to Teddy Milner) – Served for eight years.

Historic places

* Aiken Golf Club * Aiken Polo Club *

Aiken Preparatory School Mead Hall Episcopal School is a private, 3K–12 coeducational college preparatory school located over two campuses in Aiken, South Carolina. Previously covering grades 3K–8, the school expanded to cover high school grades when they acquired Ai ...

Aiken Tennis Club The Aiken Tennis Club is a private court tennis club located at 146 Newberry Street, SW in Aiken, South Carolina. It includes the Court Tennis Building. The club was incorporated in 1898 with the sponsorship of financier and founder of the promine ...

* Hitchcock Woods * Hopelands Gardens * Old Aiken Post Office * Palmetto Golf Club * St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church *

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London, England. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It ...

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 ''Melia azedarach'', commonly known as the chinaberry tree, pride of India, bead-tree, Cape lilac, syringa berrytree, Persian lilac, Indian lilac, or white cedar, is a species of deciduous tree in the mahogany family, Meliaceae, that is native ...

, Coker Spring, Court Tennis Building, Crossways, Dawson-Vanderhorst House, Immanuel School,

Joye Cottage Joye Cottage is one of the oldest, and largest winter retreats in Aiken, South Carolina. Most of the sprawling property dates to 1897, when William Collins Whitney purchased the property and remodeled it extensively. It now includes a main hou ...

Legare-Morgan House The Legare-Morgan House is a one-story clapboard structure built in Aiken, South Carolina around 1835. From 1850 to 1859 it was the home of the artist, poet and inventor, James Mathews Legare. In 1870 the property was sold to Thomas C. Morgan ...

, Phelps House, Pickens House, St. Mary Help of Christians Church, St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church, Charles E. Simons, Jr. Federal Court House,

, and Willcox's are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

Education

It is within the Aiken County Public School District.

Schools

*Public schools: ** Aiken Elementary School ** Aiken High School ** Aiken Intermediate School **Aiken Scholars Academy ** 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 *Charter schools: ** Lloyd Kennedy Charter School ** Tall Pines Stem Academy ** Horse Creek Academy

Colleges and universities

Aiken Technical College Aiken Technical College is a Public college, public community college in Graniteville, South Carolina. It is part of the South Carolina Technical College System. More than 3,400 students enroll in credit courses annually and 10,000 people enrol ...

Library

Aiken has a

public library A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...

, a branch of the ABBE Regional Library System.

Steeplechase racing

The Aiken Steeplechase Association, founded in 1930, hosts the Imperial Cup each March and the Holiday Cup in October, both races sanctioned by the

National Steeplechase Association The National Steeplechase Association is the official sanctioning body of American steeplechase horse racing. The National Steeplechase Association was founded on February 15, 1895 by August Belmont Jr., the first president of The Jockey Club ...

. This event draws more than 30,000 spectators. The

Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum The Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1977 as a tribute to the famous flat racing and steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase Thoroughbred horses that trained in Aiken, South Carolina. The museum was a proje ...

was established in 1977 as a tribute to the famous

flat racing Horse racing is an equestrianism, equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all spor ...

and steeplechase

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

horses trained at the Aiken Training Track.

Other events

Aiken hosts many

polo Polo is a stick and ball game that is played on horseback as a traditional field sport. It is one of the world's oldest known team sports, having been adopted in the Western world from the game of Chovgan (), which originated in ancient ...

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

* Aiken Center for Arts, hosts educational classes, a fine arts gallery, and exhibition opportunities * Aiken County Farmers Market, oldest food market in South Carolina * Aiken County Historical Museum, also known as "Banksia" after the

banksia ''Banksia'' is a genus of around 170 species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes, and woody fruiting "cones" and head ...

rose, displays special exhibits of items from residents *

Aiken State Park Aiken State Park is a state park located near the town of Windsor in Aiken County, South Carolina. History Built in 1934, Aiken State Park is one of the 16 original parks in South Carolina, built by an African American detachment of the Civili ...

* 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 * Juilliard in Aiken, live artistic performances, classes, lectures, and workshops *

Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site is a state park in South Carolina, United States. Redcliffe Plantation, also known as Redcliffe, completed in 1859, is a Greek Revival plantation house located on the site that is listed on the National R ...

, slaves' and owners' lives depicted * Rose Hill Estate, historic housing estate

Notable people

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 The Vanderbilt family is an American family who gained prominence during the Gilded Age. Their success began with the shipping and railroad empires of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and the family expanded into various other areas of industry and philanthr ...

, Bostwicks, and the Whitneys. *

Lee Atwater Harvey LeRoy "Lee" Atwater (February 27, 1951 – March 29, 1991) was an American political consultant and strategist for the Republican Party. He was an adviser to Republican U.S. presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush and chairman ...

, Republican strategist, advisor to

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...

and

George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushBefore the outcome of the 2000 United States presidential election, he was usually referred to simply as "George Bush" but became more commonly known as "George H. W. Bush", "Bush Senior," "Bush 41," and even "Bush th ...

; raised in Aiken * Eric Barnes, college soccer player and coach *

Charles E. Bohlen Charles "Chip" Eustis Bohlen (August 30, 1904 – January 1, 1974) was an American diplomat, ambassador, and expert on the Soviet Union. He helped shape United States foreign policy during World War II and the Cold War and helped develop the Mar ...

U.S. diplomat A Foreign Service officer (FSO) is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. FSOs formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. They spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies, consulat ...

; raised in Aiken * George H. Bostwick,

court tennis Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original racquet sport from which the modern game of tennis (also called "lawn tennis") is derived. It is also known as court tennis in the United Sta ...

player,

steeplechase SteepleChase Records is a jazz record company and label based in Copenhagen, Denmark. SteepleChase was founded in 1972 by Nils Winther, who was a student at Copenhagen University at the time. He began recording concerts at Jazzhus Montmartre, ...

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

and

horse trainer A horse trainer is a person who tends to horses and teaches them different disciplines. Some responsibilities trainers have are caring for the animals' physical needs, as well as teaching them good behaviors and/or coaching them for events, which ...

, eight-goal

player; "Pete" was grandson of

Jabez A. Bostwick Jabez Abel Bostwick (September 23, 1830 – August 16, 1892) was an American businessman who was a founding partner of Standard Oil. Early life Bostwick was born in Delhi (town), New York, Delhi, New York on September 23, 1830. He was a son of A ...

, wealthy

Standard Oil Standard Oil Company was a Trust (business), corporate trust in the petroleum industry that existed from 1882 to 1911. The origins of the trust lay in the operations of the Standard Oil of Ohio, Standard Oil Company (Ohio), which had been founde ...

partner *

Wesley Bryan Donald Wesley Bryan (born March 26, 1990) is an American professional golfer and YouTuber who played on the PGA Tour. Early life Bryan attended Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, South Carolina. He played college golf at the University of South C ...

PGA Tour The PGA Tour (stylized as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also known as the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champion ...

golfer *

Anna Camp Anna Ragsdale Camp (born September 27, 1982) is an American actress. She portrayed the villainous Sarah Newlin in the HBO vampire drama ''True Blood'' (2009, 2013–2014), Aubrey Posen in the ''Pitch Perfect'' film series (2012–2017), and t ...

, actress, played Sarah Newlin in the HBO series ''

True Blood ''True Blood'' is an American fantasy Horror fiction, horror Drama (film and television), drama television series produced and created by Alan Ball (screenwriter), Alan Ball. It is based on ''The Southern Vampire Mysteries'', a series of novels ...

'' and Aubrey in the film ''

Pitch Perfect ''Pitch Perfect'' is a 2012 American musical comedy film directed by Jason Moore and written by Kay Cannon. It features an ensemble cast, including Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Rebel Wilson, Adam DeVine, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Hana M ...

'' *

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

, boxer, member of the

International Boxing Hall of Fame The International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF), located in Canastota, New York, right next to exit 34 of the New York State Thruway, honors boxers, trainers and other contributors to the sport worldwide. Inductees are selected on ballots cre ...

Barney Chavous Barney Lewis Chavous ( ; born March 22, 1951) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for South Carolina State Bulldog ...

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...

player for the

Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West, West division. The team is headquartered in E ...

Corey Chavous Corey Lamonte Chavous (; born January 5, 1976) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive back for 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Chavous played for three teams at both safety and cornerback. Chav ...

, NFL player *

F. Ambrose Clark Frederick Ambrose Clark (August 1, 1880 – February 26, 1964) was an American heir and Equestrianism, equestrian. Early life "Brose" Clark was born on August 1, 1880, in Cooperstown, New York. He was the third son of Alfred Corning Clark (1844 ...

, equestrian, heir to the Singer Sewing Machine Company fortune * Robert C. De Large, born in Aiken,

U.S. representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

for

South Carolina's 2nd congressional district South Carolina's 2nd congressional district is in central and southwestern South Carolina. The district spans from Columbia, South Carolina, Columbia to the South Carolina side of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area. From 1993 through 2012, ...

* Pam Durban, novelist and short-story writer * Matilda Evans, first African-American woman licensed to practice medicine in South Carolina *

Leon Everette Leon Everette Baughman (born June 21, 1948) is an American country music artist. Background He was born in Aiken, South Carolina, United States. While in the Navy during the Vietnam War, Everette won a singing contest and decided to pursue a c ...

, country musician known for writing "

Hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its ...

" * George Frazier Miller, Episcopal rector * Helen Lee Franklin, teacher and social justice advocate * Julie Noegel Hardaway, President General of the

United Daughters of the Confederacy The United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC) is an American neo-Confederate hereditary association for female descendants of Confederate Civil War soldiers engaging in the commemoration of these ancestors, the funding of monuments to them, a ...

* Thomas Hitchcock and wife Louise owned a estate near Aiken where in 1892 he founded the Palmetto Golf Club; in 1916, Louise founded

. They built a

training center and in 1939 founded Hitchcock Woods with of their estate. *

Etta Jones Etta Jones (November 25, 1928 – October 16, 2001) was an American jazz singer. Her best-known recordings are "Don't Go to Strangers" and "Save Your Love for Me". She worked with Buddy Johnson, Oliver Nelson, Earl Hines, Barney Bigard, Gene Ammo ...

, jazz singer * Tommy Hitchcock, Jr., son of Thomas and Louise Hitchcock, born in Aiken;

player; veteran of the

Lafayette Escadrille The La Fayette Escadrille () was the name of the French Air Force unit escadrille N 124 during the First World War (1914–1918). This escadrille of the History of the Armée de l'Air (1909–1942)#World War I (1914–1918), ''Aéronautique Mil ...

in World War I, killed in World War II *

Hope Goddard Iselin Edith Hope Goddard Iselin (January 17, 1868 – April 5, 1970) was an American heiress and sportswoman who was the first American woman to compete as a crew member in the America's Cup yacht race. She also owned thoroughbred racehorses. Hope Go ...

, wife of Charles Oliver Iselin and original owner of Hopeland Gardens in Aiken *

Kevin Kisner Kevin James Kisner (born February 15, 1984) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Early life Kisner was born in Aiken, South Carolina and attended South Aiken High School. He played college golf at the University of Geor ...

, PGA Tour golfer *

DeMarcus Lawrence DeMarcus Lawrence (born April 28, 1992) is an American professional football defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft. He playe ...

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and typically line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and so back up the defensive linemen. They play closer to the line ...

for the

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. T ...

* Leon Lott, commander of the

South Carolina State Guard The South Carolina State Guard (SCSG) is the designated State Defense Force, state defense force for the state of South Carolina. The State Guard maintains its headquarters in Columbia, South Carolina, Columbia. Battalions are located in the cit ...

and Sheriff of Richland County *

Devereux Milburn Devereux Milburn (September 19, 1881 – August 15, 1942) was an American champion polo player in the early to mid twentieth century. He was one of a group of Americans known as the Big Four in international polo, winning the Westchester Cup si ...

, 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 * Janie L. Mines, first African-American woman to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy (1980) * Marion Naifeh, author and educator *

Steven Naifeh Steven Naifeh (born June 19, 1952) is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American biographer of both Jackson Pollock and Vincent van Gogh. In addition to writing 18 books with Gregory White Smith, Naifeh is a businessman who founded several companies, inc ...

, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, abstract artist *

Eugene Odum Eugene Pleasants Odum (September 17, 1913 – August 10, 2002) was an American biologist at the University of Georgia known for his pioneering work on ecosystem ecology. He and his brother Howard T. Odum wrote the popular ecology textbook, ''Fun ...

, 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 Michael Dean Perry (born August 27, 1965) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL). He is the younger brother of William Perry. His parents are Inez S. Perry and Hollie ...

, 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 Super Bowl XX was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Chicago Bears and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for ...

champion

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...

and 3-time NCAA All-American (1982–1984) * Frederick H. Prince, financier who purchased

's cottage

Marble House Marble House, a Gilded Age mansion located at 596 Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, was built from 1888 to 1892 as a summer cottage for Alva and William Kissam Vanderbilt and was designed by Richard Morris Hunt in the Beaux Arts style ...

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...

* William S. Reyburn, U.S. representative for

Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district Pennsylvania's second congressional district includes all of Northeast Philadelphia and parts of North Philadelphia east of Broad Street, as well as Center City and portions of Philadelphia's River Wards. It has been represented by Democrat Bren ...

* Camden Riviere, world champion

real tennis Real tennis – one of several games sometimes called "the sport of kings" – is the original racquet sport from which the modern game of tennis (also called "lawn tennis") is derived. It is also known as court tennis in the United Sta ...

player * Pat Sawilowsky, past president of the National Ladies Auxiliary of

Jewish War Veterans Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...

; her father, Herbert B. Ram, owned and named Patricia Theater in downtown Aiken after her; the companion Rosemary Theater was named for her sister''Riddick, A. (2011)
Memories of Growing Up and Living in Aiken, South Carolina
Rocket Publishing: Aiken, SC, pp. 305–307'' * Charlie Simpkins, silver medalist, triple jump,

1992 Summer Olympics The 1992 Summer Olympics (, ), officially the Games of the XXV Olympiad (, ) and officially branded as Barcelona '92, were an international multi-sport event held from 25 July to 9 August 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Beginning in 1994 ...

Gregory White Smith Gregory White Smith (October 4, 1951 – April 10, 2014) was an American biographer of both Jackson Pollock and Vincent van Gogh. In addition to writing 18 books with Steven Naifeh, Smith was an accomplished musician, historic preservationist, ...

, Pulitzer Prize-winning author *

Marion Hartzog Smoak Marion Hartzog Smoak (July 8, 1916May 4, 2020) was an American attorney and politician who served as Chief of Protocol of the United States under President Richard Nixon from 1972 to 1974. Smoak previously served as a member of the South Caroli ...

, lawyer, United States diplomat, and South Carolina state senator * Grace Taylor, gymnast * Dekoda Watson, athlete, linebacker with

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners and nicknamed the Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member ...

and

Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...

, helped establish "Winter Colony," a 69-room winter residence *

Paul Wight Paul Donald Wight II (born February 8, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under his real name of Paul Wight. He is best known for his tenure with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) f ...

(Big Show), professional wrestler and actor, seven-time world champion in

wrestling Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...

Troy Williamson '' Troy Williamson (born April 30, 1983) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver for five seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings seventh overa ...

, professional football player *

Gamel Woolsey Gamel Woolsey (born Elizabeth Gammell Woolsey; May 28, 1897 – January 18, 1968) was an American poet, novelist and translator. Early life and education Woolsey was born on the Breeze Hill plantation in Aiken, South Carolina, Aiken, South Ca ...

, writer, coined the phrase "pornography of violence" in her

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

memoir ''Death's Other Kingdom'' (also published as ''Malaga Burning'') * Priscilla A. Wooten, politician who served in the New York City Council from 1983 to 2001 *

Marly Youmans Marly Youmans (born Susan Marlene Youmans; November 22, 1953 in Aiken, South Carolina) is an American poet, novelist and short story writer. Her work reflects certain recurring themes such as nature, magic, faith and redemption, and often referen ...

, novelist and poet *

James "Bubber" Miley James Wesley "Bubber" Miley (April 3, 1903 – May 20, 1932) was an American early jazz trumpet and cornet player, specializing in the use of the plunger mute. Early life (1903–1923) Miley was born in Aiken, South Carolina, United States, ...

trumpeter

Notes

References

External links

*
Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce
{{Authority control Cities in South Carolina Cities in Aiken County, South Carolina County seats in South Carolina Augusta metropolitan area 1835 establishments in South Carolina Populated places established in 1835