Walking Around Downtown Aiken, South Carolina

Eric & the beautiful
Welcome to Aiken
sign

Aiken's horses celebrate

 the area's equine culture.

Aiken offers Steeplechasing,

Polo Games & Fox Hunting.

Eric and I live near Saratoga Springs, New York, which is known for Thoroughbred and Harness Racing.

Aiken's City Hall

The Aiken Woodmen of

 the World Monument

Woodmen of the World is a fraternal organization that does volunteer work in communities across the United States.

The Savannah River 
Nuclear Solutions
Building dominates
this corner.






The Savannah River Site covers 310 miles in Allendale, Aiken and Barnwell counties.  It was constructed in the 1950s to produce the nuclear materials used to manufacture nuclear weapons.   Savannah River Nuclear Solutions cleans up nuclear sites.  The company also does research into clean energy.

Visitor Maps are available

throughout downtown.

This is very handy for

visitors.

The Aiken Brewing Company

We'll stop in for a drink after
we walk around downtown.

The Aiken City Clock

Moon Beans Fine
Roasted Coffee

Another "Painted Pony"

The stately Carriage
House Inn

Power Cuts Salon & Spa is

housed in this  beautifully

kept Arts & Crafts home.

"A Study of Doors"

The Mellow Mushroom

serves pizza & more...

The 1953 Gas Explosion
Historical Marker










At 8:30 am on January 7, 1953 a natural gas line explosion in the basement of the Jones Electric Company sparked a fire that burned the electric company and four other buildings.  Ten people died and downtown was a disaster zone.  The explosion was felt miles away.

 

The Charles E. Simons

Federal Court House

The Aiken County

Judicial Center

Aiken's Confederate

Monument

Eric waits for me while
I take pictures.

I've been known to lag
behind on our walks.

The Park on Newberry Street

A statue of William
Aiken Sr.

He sits on the bench,
patiently waiting for
the train.





William Aiken, Sr. was the President of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company.  His company brought the railroad to the former crossroads community.  The City of Aiken is named in Mr. Aiken's honor.

Saint John's United

Methodist Church

With the large plaza in front of the church, I am reminded of churches in Nicaragua.

The Hotel Aiken spans
the length of a city block.








Downtown Aiken is very walkable with lots of free parking and easy to navigate with maps of the city available in multiple locations.  There are lots of restaurants and shops to explore.

Now it's time to stop in at the Aiken Brewing Company.

Pine Acres Campground in Aiken, South Carolina

Pine Acres Campground
shares a sign post with
D & R Repo Housing
Center.

The Office

Propane services

The Bath House...

What a quaint term

The Laundry Room

With four washers & four

dryers, there's no need to

wait around for a machine

to become available.

Some of our neighbors

A satellite TV dish is set

up near the road.

I like the paint job on this

Wolf Pack Trailer.

Eric & I have a pull through
campsite for the week with
50 amp electric service,
water & sewer hookups.






Even though we are camped beneath pine trees, there's enough open space for our DirecTV satellite reception.  Wifi is free for a week.  There's a fee for campers who stay for longer periods of time.  Electric service is steady with no voltage drops.

Pine Acres is a campground.  Campers are supplied with water, electric and sewer services, the Bath House and Laundry Room.  There is no Club House, swimming pool, no outdoor games, nature trails. Eric and I rarely use amenities when we travel because we are out exploring surrounding areas.

This afternoon, we are visiting Aiken.

Driving Northwest to Aiken, South Carolina

Eric prepared Chicken

Curry tonight's dinner.

It will cook as we drive.

It was a soggy start.

Eric unhooks service
connections in ankle
deep water.

Eric drove through the

puddles slowly...

We'll keep The Oaks
at Point South on our
list of campgrounds
we'd return to.






I'm not letting a soggy leave taking get me down.  Eric bragged that his LL Bean shoes remain waterproof.  They are at least twelve years old.

Today's drive takes us on

Alternate US Route 17/

US Route 21 North.

Hampton United Methodist
Church in Varnville

This is the first time I've seen

Piggly Wiggly gas pumps.

Shoppers can redeem their

Pig Points for discounts

on gas.

The road is hemmed
in by trees,

Allendale:

City of Character

A great slogan...

I was surprised to see
containers stacked up
along side the road.

Vultures clear away

roadkill.

The Confederate Monument
in Barnwell

We pass a swampy

area.

We are following the
South Carolina
Heritage Corridor.

New construction 

It's late February...

Please put the Christmas
decorations away.

US Route 78 stretches

out before us. 

This is farm country.

Authentic Ladies SC has

adopted this section

of highway. 

As we turn onto US Route 1 

North, Eric reminds me that

Route 1 runs from Fort Kent

Maine to Key West, Florida. 

Eric pulls into Pine

Acres Campground

in Aiken.

 

After we hook up to
services & level,
it's dinner time.

Eric's Chicken Curry

with Couscous is

delicious!

Eric cooked dinner, so I'll do the dishes.