Holmes’ Cruise

“I will graduate with Honors,” said our son Holmes proudly. “Need I remind you that you have an F?” I said. To which he replied, “Momma, the F stands for fabulous.” “OK, son,...

The Martha Schofield School | A History

Of all the schools in Aiken County, none has had such a long and interesting history of growth and evolution as Schofield School. Martha Schofield, a Quaker from Pennsylvania, came...

Rocks for Hope

“If one person sees hope out of the darkness with Rocks for Hope, then all the work has been worth it.” ~ Bonnie Anne Fulghum Executive Director of MHA -...

The Mother’s Gift

The most precious thing I own was made for me by my mother, Margaret Hodges Warren.I have no memory of how our family became so interested in music, because I...

The Boston Molasses Disaster

Charleston, South Carolina had its own Tea Party incident on December 3, 1773, 13 days before the one in Boston. You learned about the Boston Tea Party in school, did...

The Empty Tomb

The morning was quiet, the sun beginning to rise and touch the hills surrounding Jerusalem and the buildings within its walls with soft golden light. Ananias left the inner courts...

Court Tennis Comes to Aiken | Cabinet of Curiosities

Aiken, a town of scarcely 30,000 people, is home to one of only ten court tennis buildings active in the United States. How did this game of royalty and tradition,...

Grocery Stores in Aiken

Most people take for granted the convenience and “luxury” of shopping in the modern mega grocery stores of today like Kroger, Publix, Fresh Market, and Walmart. Things were not always...

The Price of War

Arriving at the Cam Ranh Bay airport in 1968 was an exciting moment for Captain Linda Sharp. She would be returning home in time for Christmas, but her mood shifted...

St. Patrick | Shamrocks, and Lucky Charms

There are many translations of St. Patrick’s lorica, the Deer’s Cry. My favorite translation begins with these lines:I bind unto myself todayThe strong Name of the Trinity,By invocation of the...

Aiken County — Celebrating 150 Years | Cabinet of Curiosities

Here at the Aiken County Historical Museum, we normally have a Founders Day celebration during March to celebrate the creation of our county. This year’s celebration is particularly special because...

Lots of Luck at the Aiken Trials

The harder we work, the luckier we are. Gamblers and risk takers depend on Lady Luck. She is certainly present at the Aiken Trials in March each year as friendly...

Hello Gardeners!

Isn’t it just wonderful to feel spring in the air? I don’t think I could have stood another 6 weeks of winter — Mother Nature would definitely have heard from...

Garden Accents

Garden accents can be a great way to have fun in your garden and personalize your landscape. Here are some tips to help you enjoy your outdoor space while tapping...

The Quaker Gun

The Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, arose in England in the mid 17th century. They were early settlers to the Colonies (future United States) and prominent in...

The Augusta-Aiken Trolley Line | A History

The Augusta-Aiken Railway, better known as the Trolley, was established in 1902 by the Augusta-Aiken Electric Railroad Company. James U. Jackson, who owned the Hampton Terrace Hotel and Golf Course...

The Sport of Flirting | Cabinet of Curiosities

The history of flirting is a long and seductive tale, stretching back to the first stolen glance across a primitive cave lit by fire. Long before language was conceived, we...

The Ripple Effect of Love

This is a love story that feels like a movie script set in the 1950s. A tall, handsome stranger walks into a Michigan pharmacy with a prescription for his mother....

Santa at the Depot | Scene Around Town

Santa at the Depot December 19, 2020 Aiken Visitors Center and Train Museum Photography by Allen Riddick Archania Edwards and Kemari, Dre, and Cameron Hartley Tripp, Amy, Mary Irving, Charlie,...

Christmas in Hopelands | Scene Around Town

Christmas in Hopelands December 2020 This past December the City of Aiken hosted its 29th annual Christmas in Hopelands. Hopelands Gardens was illuminated with thousands of lights that lined the...

A Holiday Cookie Stroll | Scene Around Town

A Holiday Cookie Stroll December 13, 2020 Downtown Aiken Photography by Allen Riddick Brooke and Sheila Thomas Cathie Adams, Liz Nica, and Whitney Jordan Adams Keelyn, Mikah, Kynzie, and Karsyn...

Noah’s Way and Friends Coat Drive | Scene Around Town

Noah’s Way and Friends Coat Drive December 12, 2020 Sams’ Club Photography by Allen Riddick Ronnie Young Jr., Jane Page Thompson, and Kenny Freeman Bax, Julie, and Shyla Whitesell Sue...

Northern Natives Migrate South

Snowbirds are looking for a fresh start in warmer and friendlier climates If you are lucky enough to have been born and raised in the South, or if you relocated...

The Highland Park Hotel | A History

The Highland Park Hotel, Aiken’s first grand hotel, was situated on the western end of Park Avenue on the plateau overlooking what is now the Aiken Golf Club. It was...

The Beginnings of a New County | Cabinet of Curiosities

2021 is a special year for the residents of Aiken County — not only is it a new year of hope after a year of chaos, but it’s also the...

To Keep Christmas Well

“…and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well …” It is among the closing lines from Charles Dickens’ classic story, “A Christmas Carol.”...

Story of Hanukkah

Hanukkah is the Jewish Festival of Lights, celebrated to commemorate the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after Judah Maccabee’s victory over the occupying Greek army in 165 BC....

Rocking Around the (Metal? Holly?) Christmas Tree | Cabinet of Curiosities

Have you ever watched A Charlie Brown Christmas television special and wondered about the metal Christmas tree lot that Charlie Brown visits? Did you know that cutting down a holly...

A Thrifty Christmas Celebration

Christmas in Ireland is a massive celebration over the entire month of December. Normally we would be celebrating Friendsmas, a great huge gathering of my husband’s mates from Blackrock College...

The Season of Change is Here!

Peeling off the layers and becoming who you truly are is hard work — it never comes easy. I know a lot of people that put on different faces depending...

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