Luxury Home For Sale Aiken South Carolina - Equestrian
Hilltop luxury residence in Aiken's famed Chime Bell Chase equestrian subdivision. Swimming pool, 3-stall barn, deluxe home, community riding rings for jumpers and dressage, community cross-country course. Everything for the discerning equestrian!
For More Information contact David Stinson with Fine Homes of Aiken (Meybohm Realtors) 803-640-0123
Aiken State Natural Area
Aiken County SC
Aiken's Hitchcock Woods
Will Cole’s book The Many Faces of Aiken tells a legend about the woods in Aiken. An Indian chief was told in a dream to take his seriously ill daughter, of whom he was most fond, to the land of the rising sun where she would regain her health. He transported the princess on a litter until he came to the land of whispering pines through which ran a river of sand. Sand River, in Aiken, has been regarded as a place of health and healing since then.
Whether or not the legend is true, Sand River does run through the heart of what became known as Hitchcock Woods. Over a period of years beginning in about 1892, Thomas Hitchcock and William Whitney bought approximately 8,000 acres of land. A portion of that land eventually was placed in a permanent trust for the people of Aiken to enjoy as the undisturbed “land of the whispering pines.”
One of the entrances into Hitchcock Woods is through the Memorial Gate, located on the west side when entering from the junction of Laurens Street and South Boundary, and just a little north of Sand River. In 1929, this brick gate was erected as a memorial to Francis Hitchcock by several of his friends. Just past the Memorial Gate are acres of gently rolling hills, sandy cliffs and many varieties of trees.
BLESSING OF THE HOUNDS
memorial gateEvery Thanksgiving weekend for almost a century, a celebration takes place that brings together local people, some descendants of the winter colonists and many holiday visitors to Aiken. “The Blessing of the Hounds” is a ceremony that has its roots in a centuries-old tradition.
Hubert, the first bishop of Liege, is reputed to be the originator of the Blessing sometime between 656 and 727 A. D., near Brussels, Belgium. On Good Friday morning, as the story goes, Hubert went hunting and suddenly came upon a huge and impressive stag in the forest. When Hubert finally cornered the stag, it turned and he saw a vision of a shining cross caught between its antlers. He immediately converted to Christianity and set out for a life dedicated to God. Hubert became the patron saint of hunters (along with mathematicians, archers and metalworkers).
Since that time, hunters have celebrated the Feast of St. Hubert each November, first with The Blessing of the Hounds and then with a hunt, followed by a large breakfast. Over the next twelve centuries, the hunt passed on to England where the nobles (royalty) hunted the stags and the gentry (aristocrats) hunted the fox. Fox hunting was supported by the Anglican clergy as “an antidote for the aggressive sins of the flesh.”
Foxhounds are large hunting hounds that follow their prey in packs and have an acute sense of smell. Their natural instinct is to find foxes—hence their name. During the last century, the Hitchcock family founded a group called the Aiken Hounds. The “hunt” initiated by The Blessing of the Hounds does not actually involve a live fox.
SCENT OF A FOX
Although red foxes do still live in Hitchcock Woods, the scent of a fox is “dragged” through a trail in the woods for the hounds to follow. What ensues is a lively chase over some of the best terrain in the world for a drag hunt. The mixture of sand and clay in Hitchcock Woods adds an element of sure-footedness to this somewhat dangerous sport.
The drag hunt season continues every Tuesday and Saturday in Hitchcock Woods throughout the winter. The Aiken riders still dress in the same hunter green jacket that Mrs. Lulie Hitchcock designed almost a century ago, and follow their pack of foxhounds on the scent.
Aiken Is A Place Like No Other
Produced by Koelker and Associates
Aiken State Park
This video was uploaded from an Android phone.
Hitchcock Woods
Hitchcock Woods in Aiken, South Carolina, is among the largest urban forests in the nation, with about 2,100 acres of forestland resources.
For more information on Hitchcock Woods:
Lightning on a Blue Sky by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (
Artist:
Fall photo shoot with our horses
We love to take advantage of the fall colors here at the Ranch! A couple of our barn students and the media team decided to do a fall photo shoot for fun! We hope you enjoy this fun video we put together!
HHS Louis - Aiken Charity Horse Show 2016
Welcome Prix at Bruce's Field for the Aiken Charity II Horse Show.
Mount Vintage Golf Club - Aiken, SC in Thoroughbred Country
USC Aiken Eventing Team
USC Aiken Eventing Team Promo
Music: Breaking Through by Audiomachine. All rights are owned by them with express permission for its use.
Travel with Me | Anniversary Trip | Aiken, South Carolina
Hey Y'all! Kevin and I were so excited to take an Anniversary Trip this past weekend. We did an overnight stay at a semi-local bed and breakfast and got some much needed down time! Come travel with me to Aiken, South Carolina!! If you enjoy this video, please be sure to give it a thumbs up and subscribe!!
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Lelia Hebert c/o Kevin Hebert
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Carriage House Inn- Aiken, S.C.
Malia's Restaurant- Aiken, S.C.
More Travel with Me videos:
Husband Anniversary Tag Video:
Aiken Performing Arts 2017-2018 Season Promo
Aiken Performing Arts 2017-2018 Season Promo. Live Entertainment and Quality Shows Aiken SC
Automatic sprinklers in covered arena at New Era Farm in Aiken, SC
New Era Farm's covered aena is a brand new state-of-the-art 90 x 160 foot covered arena will also be available for rental. Too hot to ride? We have shade and a 24-foot overhead fan to keep you and your horse cool. Raining or too soggy to ride outdoors? Our groomed and irrigated footing will allow you to keep your horse in training despite the weather.
Visit our website for more information and photos.
Solstice Breeze
SOLSTICE BREEZE
2111 Solstice Meadow Lane
Aiken, SC 29803
An award winning home designed in the historic tradition of Southern architecture. Deep overhangs, wide wrap-around porch and tin roof captures the feel of the Old South while utilizing well-appointed contemporary design. Solstice Breeze establishes a natural relationship with its energy efficient green design and beautiful six acres of hardwoods and native Carolina flora.
This 2,400 heated square foot home plays much larger with its generous wraparound porches. Gentle breezes allow plenty of time to enjoy outdoor living and the double back to back fireplaces in the living room and side porch make cooler days and night a joy. The screened porch tucked between the master suite and dining room provide a cozy space for dining, reading or a summer nap.
Solstice Breeze was designed to use natural light which plays beautifully throughout the house utilizing large Anderson windows, transoms, French doors and triangular dormers located on both the front and rear roofs illuminate the vaulted living area with sunlight. Room darkening honeycombed blinds which can be extended from above or below to assure privacy.
All effort was made to use environmentally conscious materials and construction methods. The house has air-tight spray foam insulation, random width white oak floor planks have been finished with a water based stain. All cabinets and paint are chemically free. All appliances are Energy Star rated and a tank less hot water heater heats on demand to fill the gracious soaking tub.
Walking and riding trails wind through more than 60 acres of the Freeman Preserve which backup to this property; a great green space with a spring fed pond welcoming walkers, hikers and equestrians. While being tucked away, Solstice Breeze is minutes to downtown Aiken, shopping and dining.
This is truly an amazing once in a lifetime home that is not to be missed.
Kay Byrnes, REALTOR
Cell 803-292-9262
Fax 803-648-8243
Coldwell Banker United Realtors
108 Lauren Street NW
Aiken, SC 29801
Falcon - Aiken Charity Horse Show 2016
Horseback riding
6 minutes of the Lawton Stables horseback ride on Hilton Head SC
Fall at The Rocking Sea Horse Ranch.
Aiken's Wooden Hotels and their Fires
“The Highland Park Hotel may be said to be the cornerstone of Aiken, for it is the original, the mouthpiece that has made Aiken known to the world. It has been in existence for twenty years or more, growing every year and keeping pace with the times and the demands upon it – until now it is one of largest and best hotels in the State. It is a handsome building, spreading out over a great extent of surface, and extraordinary care has been taken in the matter of drainage and water supply to keep it perfectly pure and healthy.”
The writer, who is only mysteriously identified in the New York Times article of February 28, 1892 as “W. L.”, goes on to say that Mr. B. P. Chatfield, the owner of the Hotel, gave him an “interesting account of his going to Aiken and establishing a hotel there when the place was little known and its future extremely uncertain”.
The Highland Park Hotel was built in Aiken between 1866 and 1870, just a few years after the end of the Civil War, by the Connecticut native. The Reconstruction Period was not a time when Northerners were especially welcome in the South. Despite this fact, the hotel prospered in its location at the west end of Park Avenue. The Hotel sat on what today is an area between Highland Park Drive and Hayne Avenue and its verandas faced toward what would become Hitchcock Woods. It could accommodate from 250 to 300 guests at a time. People flocked to Aiken because it was regarded as a health resort.
Just six years later, another New York Times article on February 6th, 1898 reported that: “The Highland Park Hotel was destroyed this morning by fire that started in the laundry room.” The 168 guests, who were awakened by the blaze, were able to get out safely with their bags (with the exception of one Bostonian who was shot and wounded by a hotel engineer). The impressive Highland Park Hotel burned to the ground. A second hotel was built on the site in 1914 but also fell victim to fire in 1945.
Within a two short years, another grand, wooden hotel was being constructed: and not far from where the Highland Park had lay in ashes. The Park in the Pines Hotel was built on forty acres of land that had been purchased from a section of city property called Eustis Park. Presently, the Aiken County Administration building (originally the Aiken County Hospital building) stands on the site of what was later known as Toole Town in the 1930s and 40s.
By 1906, the accolades began pouring in about The Park in the Pines Hotel from Northern writers. It was reported to be “among the most elegantly equipped and liberally conducted hotels of the South.” In fact, it had 300 guest rooms and was nestled amidst the pine trees that were thought to deliver a “soothing and purifying effect exerted upon the mucous membrane of the respiratory passages by the exhalations from this tree,” and “that the climate of Aiken owes much of its well-deserved reputation as a health resort for persons suffering from all forms of disease affecting the respiratory tract.”
But the fire that struck early on a Sunday morning in February of 1913, burned even more swiftly that it had fifteen years earlier.
After fleeing for their lives amidst a savage blaze, the Pine’s winter residents lost all that they had brought with them for the season. The speed with which the hotel burned was blamed on low water pressure so that the firemen who were fighting the flames not extinguish the flames. The wealthy and well-known hotel guests were quickly given shelter by locals and the smaller, but elegant, Willcox Inn.
And so it was the twin February fires that ultimately brought an end to the era of the massive wooden hotels that made Aiken a destination as a winter health resort.