Aiken is located in
Aiken County, of which it is the county seat. The city is situated southwest of
Columbia between North Augusta and
Orangeburg along Highway 19 near the South Fork Edisto River. The population estimate for July 1, 1998 was 22,861, an increase of 2,475 since 1990.
Once called the "Sports Center of the South", Aiken, South Carolina is a city of spacious parks, distinctive architecture, and civic pride. Aiken's life began officially December 19, 1835, the dating of the charter of the town. The town was named for William Aiken, Sr., President of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company, whose son later became Governor of South Carolina. For many years Aiken was known as the Polo Center of the World. Today, polo is still played at Whitney Field, the site of the longest consecutive period of play on one field in the United States.
Aiken is part of the Augusta-Aiken, Georgia-South Carolina metro area.
