Some of the best public and private grade schools in South Carolina are located here. Public schools consistently score higher than national averages on the quality of education. There are a variety of private schools as well. Aiken Preparatory School, for example, emphasizes rigorous college preparation. Saint Mary Help of Christians School is a Catholic school that has served families in the area since 1906.
Among higher education offerings, Augusta State Unversity, USC Aiken, Paine College, Augusta Technical College, Aiken Technical College, and the Medical College of Georgia and School of Dentistry offer exceptional opportunities—all in Hammond’s Ferry’s backyard.
There is also plenty of excellent healthcare in the region. Less than two miles from Hammond’s Ferry is the Medical College of Georgia and university health care hospitals and clinics, representing one of the finest healthcare campuses in the world. This is supported by the Eisenhower Medical Center at Fort Gordon, which offers hospital facilities and healthcare to military retirees.
A strong and active arts community in the area supports the Augusta Ballet, Augusta Opera, Augusta Players, Augusta Symphony Orchestra, Morris Museum of Art, Augusta Museum of History, Lucy Craft Laney Museum, and the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art.
Sports activities are also well represented in the Augusta/North Augusta region. Augusta is, most famously, the home of the Masters Golf Tournament, played at Augusta National. Augusta is also home to professional baseball and ice hockey teams, and the area is close to an assortment of exciting college-level football teams. The Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center seats 8,660 in the grand arena for concerts, sporting events, and a wide variety of other entertainment and convention activities. Bell Auditorium seats 2,690 and features smaller concerts, plays and stage shows. And, the historic Imperial Theater seats close to 2,000 and is home to many of the fine local arts organizations. All of the above venues are located in historic downtown Augusta, less than one mile from Hammond’s Ferry.
A few things to keep you busy throughout the year:
In April, join the children of North Augusta in learning more about the Savannah River ecology at Kid’s Earth Day. During the summer months, don’t miss the “Music in the Park” summer concert series, sponsored by the North Augusta Cultural Arts Council. October is a busy month. Start by watching the area’s Colonial past come to life at Colonial Times: A Day to Remember. This two-day event includes a tomahawk throw, quilting, and musket firing demonstrations. Halloween sweeps in when Georgia Ave. comes alive with the Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee. You can also catch the horses and the action at the annual Aiken Fall Steeplechase., Round out the year with the old-fashioned Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, complete with caroling at John C. Calhoun Park.
Take a look at our event calendar for more great options.
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