Aiken County Historical Museum

05/30/2026

Visit the museum to view our Legare cabinet piece in the Aiken County History exhibit. You'll get a sneak peak at the cabinet if you watch the "To Have a Name Worth Owning" film too!

Thank you Thoroughbred Country South Carolina for sharing this aspect of our community's history!

Born in Charleston in 1823, James Mathewes Legaré came to Aiken as a young man seeking relief from tuberculosis in the region’s dry pine air. Yet Legare did more than recover here, he created.

From his family’s small cottage and studio on Laurens Street, Legaré focused on writing, drawing, painting and inventing. One of his more unusual creations was “plastic cotton,” a material he hoped would revolutionize decorative design. Long before modern plastics, Legaré imagined molding cotton into ornamental pieces for furniture, frames and architectural moldings.

Though he died young in 1859, his life reminds us that Thoroughbred Country, South Carolina, has been shaped by creators, innovators and individuals whose stories echo through our small towns and historic streets.

📷: “To Have a Name Worth Owning,” directed by George Wingard, a Savannah River Archaeological Research Program production: vimeo.com/1039788795 Visit the Aiken County Historical Museum to learn more.

tbredcountry.org

05/24/2026

Newspaper Exploration: May 24, 1887, The Aiken Recorder

"AIKEN INSTITUTE
Frank H. Curtiss, President

Designed for the higher education of young ladies and young gentlemen. Course of study thorough and exhaustive, covering a period of eight years exclusive of collegiate course of four years. Each department complete in itself – Primary, Intermediate, Grammar, Preparatory, Academic, Academic and Collegiate.

Rates of Tuition, per month
Primary - $1.50
Intermediate - $2.50
Grammar - $3.00
Prep Academic or Academic - $4.00
Collegiate - $5.00
German and French, each - $1.00
Instrumental Music - $2.50
Special Drawing Lessons - $2.50
Painting, Oil, Water Color, China, Lustria - $2.50

For any desired information concerning catalogues, rates of board, or any other matters connected with the Institute address the President.

A limited number of student[s] desiring board may find a pleasant home in the family with the President. "

05/23/2026

05/23/2026

The historic documents are here! Visit these amazing founding documents of South Carolina (1775-1777) and listen to South Carolina Department of Archives and History's Patrick McCawley speak at 1 pm.

These documents are here for one day only - Saturday, May 23 from 10 am to 3 pm.

05/22/2026

Tomorrow!

05/18/2026

One day only!

Visit the Aiken County Historical Museum this Saturday, May 23 to view South Carolina's founding documents and hear from Patrick McCawley, Deputy Director of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

This free event is open to the public.

05/16/2026

An extra special Object Exploration...
Object: Dove Award for "Via Dolorosa" written by Niles Borop III.
(Donated by Niles and Stephanie Borop)

In 1968, during a Gospel Music Association (GMA) board meeting, Gospel singer and songwriter Bill Gaither created The Dove Awards to honor outstanding achievements in gospel music. The first GMA Dove Award show took place at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, before the ceremony moved to Nashville in 1971. The inaugural televised ceremony aired in 1984 during the 15th Annual GMA Dove Awards, marking a significant milestone for the genre.

Among the notable winners, Niles Borop III received the Song of the Year award during the 17th annual GMA Dove Awards show in 1986 for his composition "Via Dolorosa." Born and raised in Aiken, South Carolina, Niles moved to Nashville to attend college and launch a successful career in songwriting and producing. He began as a songwriter for Acuff-Rose Music, known as the first music publishing company to prioritize its writers’ interests. His passion for uplifting Christian and Southern Gospel music led him to found his own publishing company, Centergy Music, where he collaborated with celebrated artists like Larnelle Harris, Sandi Patti, Debby Boone, Deniece Williams, the Nelsons, the Pfieffers, and Don Williams, among many others. Niles retired from his company in 2003.

Throughout his career, Niles was not only a renowned and respected songwriter, but he was also deeply invested in his community. He was celebrated for his kindness and support, leaving a lasting legacy in Nashville and beyond. In 2019, motivated by a desire to preserve his legacy, Niles approached the ACHM with a heartfelt offer to donate his collection. He believed it was important for his contributions to be preserved in the place he treasured. Niles generously donated several scrapbooks, handwritten lyrics, and awards, including his GMA Dove Award for Song of the Year. He shared that the inspiration for "Via Dolorosa" stemmed from his experiences in a Latin course while a student at Aiken Preparatory School in the 1960s, and he also donated the Latin book he used during that formative time.

It was truly a pleasure, a privilege, and an honor to be entrusted with processing these materials, which were completed by the ACHM's Collections Manager, Melanie Sigman, on April 16, 2026. Just two days later, on April 18, 2026, Niles passed away peacefully at his home in Brentwood, TN.

Niles was a cherished patron, a steadfast supporter, and a dear friend to us at the ACHM. His unwavering spirit and kindness will forever inspire us, and he will be deeply missed. His contributions to the Gospel music community and the lives he touched serve as a poignant reminder of the power of music to uplift and connect us all.

If you would like to listen to the song that garnered this Dove Award, please follow this link to a YouTube video of Sandi Patty performing "Via Dolorosa" at the 1986.

GMA Dove Awards: https://tinyurl.com/SandiPattiViaDolorosa

05/15/2026

A sneak peek at just a few of the wonderful vendors on the museum's grounds this morning, including our lovely museum gift store!

The Council for Aiken Garden Club's Aiken Garden Show vendors market opens today at 8:30 am and closes at 5 pm. It reopens tomorrow (Saturday, May 16) at 8:30 am and closes at 4 pm.

For more info, visit their website www.AikenGardenShow.org.

05/14/2026

Object Exploration:
Photograph of the Aiken Institute's Class of 1895
(Object ID: 1970.46.19 / Donated by Elizabeth Teague)

The Aiken Institute, an educational institution with a rich history, was first chartered in the year 1888. Its iconic building was completed three years later in 1891, welcoming students of all ages into its welcoming halls. For nearly five decades, the institute played a vital role in the local community, nurturing the minds of countless young learners. In 1937, Aiken built a new high school, leading to the transformation of the Aiken Institute into Aiken Elementary School. Aiken Elementary continued to serve the community until 1986 when a new elementary school was built, marking the end of an era for the historic institution. Despite its closure, the Aiken Institute was honored that same year for its enduring legacy, being recognized as the second oldest school still in operation in the state.

The accompanying picture features the graduating class of 1895, which was the Institute's fourth graduating class. On the back, it reads: "Graduating Class of 1895 Aiken Institute; May the memories of the Class of 1894 and 1895 be kept alive - Anna Aldrich Hall."

In the first row, from left to right, are: Anna Aldrich (Hall), Mary Lee Gloner, Mr. Mack, Mabel Brown, Elizabeth Teague, and Belle Edwards. In the second row are: Florence (?), Robert Turnbull, Clara Wethersbee, Mattie Oakley (Busch), Leighton Burckhalter, Lucia Carroll (?), Hampton Burckhalter, and Rebecca Smith.

While we celebrate the stories of those that graduated over 130 years ago, we also want to say to our present high school seniors... "Congratulations Class of 2026!"