Aiken

Situated along the Savannah River, Aiken County shares its name with its county seat. An equestrian-enthusiast’s paradise, Aiken County is home to a polo club and a prominent horse racing scene with its own Triple Crown. The area is also known for agriculture, especially the cultivation of soybeans, hay, peaches, and corn. As of 2010, about 160,000 people resided in Aiken County.

In 1871, lands previously belonging to Edgefield, Lexington, Barnwell, and Orangeburg counties were merged to create Aiken County. The area began to serve as a vacation destination frequented by visitors from the Northern United States in the late 19th century. William Aiken, the county and county seat’s namesake, was the president of the South Carolina Railroad.

Aiken County: About Aiken County. Accessed June 01, 2016.

Mother Helena and Abess Mother Thecla, Nuns | Original SC

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In the Sand Hills of South Carolina, on 60 acres of forest land, the Saints Mary and Martha Orthodox Monastery is home to Orthodox nuns, Mother Helena and Abess Mother Thecla. Their monastic lifestyle...

Beech Island | South Carolina Public Radio

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"B" is for Beech Island [Aiken County; population 4,834]. Named for the beech trees growing in the wetlands of the nearby Savannah River swamp—and possibly a dead river island—Beech Island began in...

Burnettown | South Carolina Public Radio

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"B" is for Burnettown (Aiken County; 2010 population 2,673). Incorporated in 1941, Burnettown is located in the Horses Creek Valley of Aiken County. In 1890, Daniel Burnette purchased land along a...

Savannah River Site (S.C.) Stop 5

Episode 7

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This area is known as a “dry wetland” Here, Button bush, and Red maple trees thrive here. Under a nearby wooden board, Rudy and Jim find a Mole salamander, and a Ring-Neck snake. And in a nearby tree...

Savannah River Site (S.C.) Stop 6

Episode 8

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Rudy and Jim stop by another wetland, filled with Sphagnum moss, Swamp Tupelo trees, Sweet Bay trees, and Virginia Chain fern. All these plants thrive in areas such as this one, with increased...

Savannah River Site (S.C.) Stop 4

Episode 6

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A boardwalk takes Rudy and Jim from the hardwood area of the previous stop into a swamp forest. Here, Bald Cypress trees and Tupelo trees dominate. Lizard Tail, commonly found in this area, gets its...

Savannah River Site (S.C.) Stop 1

Episode 3

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Underneath the pine trees, another community of plants resides in the area: Yellow-ray flowers, Purple Vein milkweed, and Catbells.

Savannah River Site (S.C.) Stop 1

Episode 2

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The pine forest is home to two species of woodpecker birds: the Red Cockaded woodpecker, and the Ladder-Backed woodpecker.

Savannah River Site (S.C.) Stop 3

Episode 5

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Ecology Laboratory Research Site: This area is a mixed hardwood forest, with Spanish moss dangling from the branches. Water oaks are the most prominent trees here. Other common plants in the area are...

Savannah River Site (S.C.) Stop 1

Episode 1

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In this episode of NatureScene, Rudy and Jim visit the Savannah River Site, located along the southwestern border of South Carolina. The area is 200,000 acres of protected land. When one thinks of the...

Savannah River Site (S.C.) Stop 2

Episode 4

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This bluff is one of 30 areas set aside from the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology laboratory. This area is vastly different from the tall pine community Rudy and Jim visited previously...

James Brown | Digital Traditions

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James Brown was born in 1933 in Barnwell, SC, where he spent his early childhood. He developed his interest in music at an early age, performing gospel songs and first playing piano and later bass and...