Aiken Finance Department

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Story

Located in Aiken County in the southwestern portion of South Carolina the City of Aiken is 56 miles west of the South Carolina state capitol, Columbia, and 174 miles east of the Georgia state capitol, Atlanta. The area of the City is 17.93 square miles and sits 530 feet above sea level.

The life of Aiken officially began on December 19, 1835 - the dating of the charter (incorporation) of the town. Our city was named for William Aiken, Sr., President of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company. Between January, 1830 and October, 1833, William Aiken was instrumental in building what was then the longest railroad in the world (136 miles long), the Charleston & Hamburg line.

The citizens of Aiken are justly proud of its quality residential character and its aesthetically pleasing natural environment with variety in its terrain and an abundance of wooded, undeveloped areas. The wide parkways, historic character and horse training activities give Aiken a unique atmosphere that make it an excellent place to live.