North Augusta now has its own room in the Aiken County Historical Museum.
The Hamburg/North Augusta room recently was added after Elliott Levy, the museum's executive director, felt North Augusta needed more representation at the museum.
The room features information about the founder of Hamburg, Henry Shultz, and continues with the history of North Augusta through 1925; including James U. Jackson and the great Hampton Terrace hotel fire.
"It took $500,000 to build the Hampton Terrace, which is equivalent to $15 million now," Levy said.
The room has a map of North Augusta from 1912, and many pictures of the Hampton Terrace and its golf course. A portrait and sculpture of Jackson is available, however, Levy said there is no known picture of Shultz.
The North Augusta room covers information only through 1925, but other areas of the museum will have North Augusta artifacts from later dates, Levy said.
"The merchant room contains (North Augusta history) from the later 1950s, 1960s and 1970s," Levy said.
Money from Hamburg hangs on a wall outside the North Augusta room. Some of the bills have Hamburg imprinted on them, while others show Augusta. Levy said many items from that time period still show Augusta addresses. A picture of the Hampton Terrace, which was enlarged from an early brochure, shows Augusta as its location.
"We want to tell about all parts of the county," Levy said. "Aiken County is truly a unique place."
Levy said North Augusta impresses him with the way it keeps growing.
"North Augusta has a real impact on Aiken County," Levy said. "For the first time it is gaining its due exposure in the county museum and it will continue to grow."
Levy said that with the help of Brenda Baratto, the president of the North Augusta Heritage Council, who works part time at the museum, they are getting many new artifacts from the city.
The Hamburg/North Augusta room is a continuing display at the museum at 433 Newberry St., Aiken. The museum is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from 2-5 p.m. Sundays.
For more information, contact the museum at (803) 642-2015.
Reach Crystal Garcia at crystal.garcia@northaugustatoday.com.
