Relocate to Aiken, South Carolina
The city of Aiken was chartered in 1835 and originally known as a retreat for wealthy Charleston natives looking for a healthy place to escape the “heat and malaria of unhealthier regions”. The city was named in honor of William Aiken, the president of The South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company. The railroad president commissioned a highly regarded engineer, Horatio Allen, to build a rail line that would run from Charleston, through the town of Aiken, and ending in a small town on the Savannah River called Hamburg, South Carolina. Mr. Allen later went on to build The Brooklyn Bridge.
After the Civil War, many Northerners found the climate and opportunities in Aiken perfect for equestrian activities, especially polo and fox hunting. The “Winter Colony” was established. Among those early settlers was Thomas Hitchcock, who along with the Whitneys, established Hitchcock Woods a 1200 acre tract of land full of woods and horse riding trails that is open to the public to enjoy.
Today, Aiken is a thriving community with beautiful parks such as Hopeland Gardens and a vibrant historic downtown district full of charming shops and distinguished houses. The area is also well known for its horses. Horses trained in Aiken have participated in the Kentucky Derby. I hope you enjoy all the southern hospitality and charm that Aiken has to offer!
