Fun facts about aiken sc

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- Aiken, South Carolina

  Thomas Hitchcock, Sr.  

Fun facts about aiken sc

 

Aiken is rightly famous for its lush gardens and fast horses, but did you ever wonder how those thoroughbred horses and hundreds of rare camellias ended up in a sleepy little southern town?

Here are 10 fun facts visitors to one of South Carolina's most beautiful towns might not know. While most famous today as the winter home of late 19th century equestrians, Aiken wasn't originally built to be a Winter Colony for the rich. It was actually a railroad town in , built as the conclusion of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Companies' line from Charleston to the Savannah River. The rail line, which ended right in downtown Aiken, carried the very first steam-powered passenger train in the U.

It was the longest train line in the country when it was built. Railroad tracks once ran down the middle of the street in Aiken, but they have since been replaced with lush parks. Aiken's downtown is crisscrossed with a unique web of one-way streets, squares and circles with fountains in the middle of them.

It makes the downtown area wildly charming and beautiful, but also challenging to drive through for first-time visitors. It can be confusing to see drivers making left turns on red lights, or even going straight through the red light. The local mnemonic is "Circles go, squares no.

You'll catch on soon enough. Even though Aiken was founded a century and a half after the first city in South Carolina that would be Charleston, of course , it boasts the oldest farmer's market in the state: the Aiken County Farmers Market is held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Horse racing isn't the only game in town.

While Aiken might be most famous for its thoroughbred races, polo and steeplechases, there are other animal athletes to cheer for. Every spring, The Great American Lobster Race takes over downtown, with crustaceans racing for glory during the family-friendly festival. Hope Goddard Iselin, one of the most important members of the Winter Colony and a wealthy socialite, was the owner of Hopelands.

Despite her wealth and army of gardeners, it's believed that she planted some the trees and flowers including beautiful camellias at Hopelands herself. Joye in Aiken, founded in as Juilliard in Aiken, brings world class musicians, actors, dancers and teachers from the Juilliard School in New York to Aiken every summer. The program is housed in the massive Joye Cottage. DuPont Planetarium houses the only camera obscura that shines into a planetarium in the country. What's a camera obscura?

Learn here. Horse racing, polo and steeplechase aren't the only sports Aiken is famous for-it's also the birthplace of beloved former NFL star William "Refrigerator" Perry. Kerry Egan. Discover writers share all of the places, activities and adventure that South Carolina has to offer. Related Articles Itineraries. Aiken: A History of Equestrian Excellence. Equestrian Art of Aiken. All Rights Reserved.

   

 

Fun facts about aiken sc.24 Best & Fun Things to Do in Aiken (SC)

   

Facys you know that Aiken is no stranger to the rich and famous? Eisenhower, and Andy Williams to name a few all were frequent Aiken visitors. Read on for some interesting facts about celebrity visits from Hollywood icons, sports greats, and genuine royalty.

Bing Crosby also made news at St. The reason was he missed choir practice that fun facts about aiken sc Thursday. Tommy Hitchcock, one of the prominent Aiken Winter fun facts about aiken sc, was the source for F. Scott Fitzgerald's Ffun Great Gatsby.

Tommy was also one of the greatest faccts players of his time. Fred Astaire was known to dance down the steps of the Aiken Post Office after picking up his mail. Minnie Pearl came to Aiken for a show and realized she had forgotten her hat, so she bought one downtown at a local shop, B. When she was performing that evening, the tag fell out.

Since she was an entertainer, she played along; and the rest is /34721.txt. She wore the massive diamond as decoration on her fun facts about aiken sc and her swimsuits wherever she went and even while gardening. Owen Clary escorted the writer around town. Conroy was staying at the Commercial Hotel, now Hotel Aiken. Linda Bixon Clary. Ссылка на страницу introduced him to her husband and they ended up escorting Conroy all over Aiken including the Savannah River Site.

Star sightings different deer in texas - intexas a coming! Mark Wahlberg was spotted at aike local restaurant in Aiken fun facts about aiken sc the Masters. Eddie Источник was spotted visiting during filming of the movie.

So, next time you venture into abotu Aiken, be watchful of celebrities! You never know who you may factss. Want to know more about celebrity visits from Hollywood icons, sports greats and genuine royalty?

Then, take the Aiken Trolley Tour in Aiken to learn about iconic places that have been brushed with fame!