“A” is for Aiken County [1,073 square miles; population 142,552]. Aiken County—named for William Aiken-- was created in 1871 from parts of Barnwell, Edgefield, Lexington, and Orangeburg Counties. A pivotal event in the area's economic history was the construction of William Gregg's cotton mill at Graniteville in the late 1840s. Other entrepreneurs followed and by 1900 a string a textile factories lined the banks of Horse Creek. During the Gilded Age, the county's mild winters and sandy soil attracted wealthy northerners who created a winter colony. The construction of the Savannah River Plant in Aiken and Barnwell Counties brought more than 25,000 jobs to the area and overwhelmed the area's infrastructure, schools, and housing. Entering the 21st century, Aiken County's population was concentrated in Aiken and North Augusta and along the corridor linking the two cities.
“A” is for Aiken County
