Aiken Winter Colony
The Aiken Winter Colony was a winter resort in Aiken, South Carolina that existed in the 1800s as a health resort for coastal residents wishing to escape malaria and yellow fever.

Formation and History 

The Aiken Winter Colony was established in Aiken, South Carolina by Thomas Hitchcock, Sr. and William C. Whitney in the late 19th century. The resort gathered fame as a wintering spot for wealthy families, mainly from the Northeastern United States. Activities that were popular at the resort included fox hunting, polo, golf, and equestrian sports. 

The Winter Colony's estate consisted of many large houses, cottages, and six hotels. The Highland Park Hotel was one of the six hotels, and it hosted over 350 rooms. All of the hotels have since burnt down, except for the Wilcox Inn, which still remains today.

Notable Residents 

 George H. Bostwick 
 James B. Eustis 
 Madeleine Astor 
 William Kissam Vanderbilt 
 Eugene Grace (president of Bethlehem Steel) 
 Allan Pinkerton 
 W. Averell Harriman 
 Seymour H. Knox II and his sister Dorothy Knox Goodyear Rogers, heir to the Woolworth fortune.
 Devereux Milburn 
 C. Oliver Iselin and his second wife, Hope Goddard Iselin.

References

Aiken, South Carolina
Upper class culture in the United States