Aiken Travel Guide
60 miles SW of Columbia; 17 miles E of Augusta
The international horse set hangs out in the country around Aiken at the Georgia-South Carolina border, where horse training and racing are major preoccupations. When you're driving, you might find yourself sharing the road with a horse and its mount. There's even a stoplight just for horses on Whiskey Road. Nearly a thousand horses winter and train in this area, and Aiken has two racetracks, as well as polo grounds.
The fame of Aiken began in the 1890s, when rich Northerners flocked here in winter, often erecting lavish mansions. It was a rival of Thomasville, Georgia, which also attracted the wintering wealthy. The horsey set amused themselves with horse shows, fox hunts, and lavish parties.
©2005, Wiley Publishing, Inc.
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