Preserving, Protecting, and Planning for Aiken’s Most Valuable Assets Since 1974
During the Great Depression, the Horse Creek Valley near Aiken rivaled Appalachia for abject poverty. One man, Monsignor Smith of St. Mary’s Help of Christians in Aiken, vowed to make a difference. Hear how this wealthy-lawyer-turned-priest transformed St. Mary’s and … Continued
HAF is hosting a field trip to the Dawson-Vanderhorst house and grounds, also known as Zahara. Built in the 1780s, this is one of the oldest homes in Aiken County, and the current owners have done a wonderful job of … Continued
It all started with a historic parkway…. In 1974, a group of citizens, determined to preserve Aiken’s parkways, historic homes, and overall character, launched the Historic Aiken Foundation. Fifty years later, join us to celebrate, plus hear Charlotte Wiedenman – historian, … Continued
Join the Historic Aiken Foundation on April 28 to: – Present awards to preservation/restoration projects- Honor Jane Vaughters- Hear a short lecture about the remarkable Eulalie Salley A reception featuring food by Board in Aiken will follow. Date: Sunday, April 28, 2024Time: 3:00 … Continued
Join the Aiken County Historical Society and the Historic Aiken Foundation as they recognize the Johnson-McGhee Building! The event will start with guest speakers Linda Johnson and Bill McGhee, who will tell the remarkable story of the building, the McGhee … Continued
CONGRATULATIONS to the Aiken County administrators on acquiring the Charles E. Simons Federal Courthouse on Park Ave! Built in 1935, the courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places and is characterized by an imposing Georgian Revival exterior, an … Continued
The City has issued a Request for Qualifications to hire a professional broker experienced in marketing historic properties. That experience is important – the hotel deserves a broker who appreciates the challenges of historic renovations, has contacts in that industry, … Continued
LECTURE! HAF is co-hosting Howard Wayt, who will tell about Aiken’s early railroad and its Inclined Plane and how it played a critical role in Aiken’s founding. Afterward, Howard will lead a field trip to the new Inclined Plane model … Continued
Exciting news for the 𝑱𝒐𝒉𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑫𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒆/ 𝑴𝒄𝑮𝒉𝒆𝒆 𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈! Last Friday, after a year of work by the Historic Aiken Foundation and Kristopher King/Architectural Historian, the SC State Board for the National Register of Historic Places approved the nomination of this … Continued
The City and Aiken Corp are hosting two meetings to get public feedback on a feasibility study that looks at 5 potential sites for a new city-owned office building that would be leased to SRNL/Battelle. The meetings will be held … Continued