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like apples, oranges, and cinnamon, sangria has long been a favorite for summer sipping. While red wine is the traditional base of this versatile drink, it can easily be swapped out for white. Apples can be switched to pears, limes, and strawberries—whatever is in season. Similarly, the history of sangria is not set in stone.

Some believe it originated with the ancient Romans, who could not safely consume their water and wanted to dilute the strong alcohol content in their wine. Some believe British sailors working at an alcohol-free port added the ingredients to their wine, hiding it from anyone who might suspect what they were truly drinking. The strongest and most relevant connection, however, is with Spain and Portugal, where the name sangria originated. From there, the beverage spread around the world, officially debuting in the United States during the New York World’s Fair in 1964.

Buried in layers of soil, archeological remnants of daily life can be found all over South Carolina. Sometimes these items may be familiar to us, buttons or pins from the 1800s that don’t look far from what we use today. But others, such as arrowheads and broken pieces of pottery, can be evidence of indigenous communities from thousands of years ago. Because such communities predate the written word, these artifacts can help paint a picture of civilizations’ histories in Hitchcock Woods, the city of Aiken, and other areas of South Carolina.

Sean Taylor, Senior Archaeologist at the SCDNR Heritage Trust Program, says an arrowhead’s shape helps archeologists identify when a community lived in a given area. For example, clovis point arrowheads — which do not have a stem — were used about 12,000 years ago, while stemmed arrowheads were used about 5,000 years ago. “Native Americans have been in the Aiken area for at least 12,000 years and maybe longer,” Sean says.

There is still much to be learned through analysis of artifacts found in the state, which can offer fascinating insights into humanity’s past. For more on the work Sean and his team of archeologists do, go to the South Carolina Heritage Trust website.

Walking through Hitchcock Woods, it’s easy to spot dried sap trailing down the bark of a longleaf pine, evidence of a red-cockaded woodpecker creating its home within the tree. A striking but small bird, its feathers form an intricate pattern of black and white—interrupted only by a wisp of red present on the male’s head.

As a keystone species for the longleaf pine ecosystem, their presence helps other animals thrive as well. The red-cockaded woodpecker creates a cavity in a longleaf pine that will serve as its home. According to Hitchcock Woods Superintendent Bennett Tucker, once the bird no longer lives there, the relic cavity tree can serve as a habitat for any number of woodland creatures,such as flying squirrels and bluebirds.

 

While the red-cockaded woodpecker is now flourishing, creating new clusters and even venturing beyond the Hitchcock Woods’ 2100 acres into the Aiken community, that wasn’t always the case.

During the Reconstruction era and into the twentieth century, much of the southeast’s vast longleaf pine ecosystems were destroyed for timber — used as exports and to rebuild after the Civil War. Aiken’s Hitchcock Woods remained, however, and the local population of red-cockaded woodpeckers lasted until the 1970s. Then, because prescribed fires were no longer being used to manage the underbrush, the environment was inhospitable to the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.

For decades, Hitchcock Woods went without this keystone species. But through the Foundation’s preservation efforts and strategic initiatives, including the reintroduction of prescribed fire, the Woods have now been restored to their former glory.

“We wanted to bring the species back. And we had done a lot of management to take care of Hitchcock Woods to kind of turn back the hands of time to create more of this open landscape behind me,” Bennett explained, standing underneath the longleaf pines. “Through prescribed burning and carefully thought out ecologically and sustainable forestry, we conducted thinning operations to open up the understory and the mid-story.”

Now, it was just about getting the red-cockaded woodpecker to return — and, even more crucially, to stay. Coordinating with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Longleaf Alliance, and other partners, the Foundation released ten red-cockaded woodpeckers into the Hitchcock Woods in 2016. Many members of Aiken’s community showed up to see the birds come home for the first time in decades.

Of the initial ten birds, seven chose to remain in the Woods, settling into the man-made inserts the Foundation built into several longleaf pines before branching out and once more building their own homes. Another ten were released the following year, with more added to the ecosystem after that.

“They’re doing really well,” Bennett said. “We’re about eight years into it, and we’ve got a very healthy population back in Hitchcock Woods.”

Much as Hitchcock Woods once more became a sustainable home for this beloved species, the red-cockaded woodpecker has proven its resiliency — creating new homes for their families and shaping the landscape for generations to come.

Click here to learn more about Hitchcock Woods and their initiatives.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 24  •  6:00pm

Celebrate the Paris Olympics in grand Aiken fashion! The Willcox is kicking-off opening night by featuring two of Aiken’s very own Olympians, Dacre Stoker and Michel Vaillancourt, who will discuss their experiences participating in the Olympics and share behind the scenes insights while guests enjoy a five-course French dinner paired with French wines selected by Sommelier Matthew Sayer.

$135 per person. Seating is limited, so please make your reservations in advance. Tax and gratuity not included.

MENU:

FIRST COURSE
Diver scallop in a caviar beurre blanc, fresh chives, served in shell
Wine: Chateau Carbonnieux, Pessac-Leognan Grand Cru 2022

SECOND COURSE
Terrine of Pork Liver
pork liver, truffles, pistachios
Wine: Guy Breton, Beaujolais Villages ‘Cuvee Marylou’ 2013

THIRD COURSE
Wild berry sorbet

FOURTH COURSE
Beef Bourguignon, tender beef, potato fondant, local mushrooms, heirloom carrots, pea tendrils
Wine: Domaine De La Vougeraie, Savigny-les-Beaune, Les Marconnets Premier Cru 2002

FIFTH COURSE
Apple & Cinnamon Crème Brûlé
Wine: Domaine Huet Clos du Bourg Moelleux Premier Trie 2020 Chenin Blanc 2020

 

About the Speakers:

Dacre Stoker an Aiken resident since 1992 has an interesting Olympic history. A native of Montreal Canada he remembers watching the Munich Olympics on TV at the age of 14, his mother, father and sister attended in person as his father was on the Canadian Equestrian team committee. When the games came to his hometown of Montreal in 1976 he worked as a drug technician for all of the Equestrian events. This is where he first became aware of Modern Pentathlon an Olympic event since 1912, consisting of cross country running, swimming, fencing, equestrian jumping and pistol shooting. Over the next 12 years Dacre competed for Canada at three World Championships, was a victim of the 1980 Olympic boycott, then became a coach of the Canadian Ladies team which won an individual gold medal at the World Championship in 1983. He later led the Canadian Mens team to their best ever finish at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988.

Michel Vaillancourt an Aiken resident, is a Canadian show jumper who won an individual silver medal at the 1976 Olympics. He tied for second place with Debbie Johnsey and François Mathy, but won the silver in a jump-off. Vaillancourt finished in fifth place with Canada in the Olympic team event.  Vaillancourt started training in horse riding aged 12, encouraged by his father, an equestrian coach who died in a horse riding accident in 1971. At his first international competition, Vaillancourt won a team bronze medal at the 1975 Pan American Games. He won a silver team medal at the next Games in 1979. Vaillancourt missed the 1980 Olympics in Moscow that were boycotted by Canada, and competed at the Alternate Olympics, winning a team gold medal. After retiring from competitions he worked as a course designer and coach, supervising the Canadian equestrian team at the 1994 and 1998 Olympics. He was inducted into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame in 2009.

Sitting in her private garden, among the flowers and lush palms she has spent years cultivating, Gail King tells us she didn’t always enjoy gardening. Her mother and grandmother both had their own private gardens in England, where Gail spent her childhood. She, however, preferred to spend time riding her pony than pulling out weeds.

This distaste faded over the years. When Gail and her husband bought their house in the early 1980s, it came with a layout for a garden. “It was a really nice layout, but there were no beds,” Gail explains. “So I have spent the last thirty years putting in flower beds and just softening it.”

Today, her garden is brimming with hydrangeas, daylilies, roses, and camellias. Verbena bonariensis, a towering purple flower topped with a cloud of petals, dots the backyard. Tea olive trees, which Gail says may be the biggest in South Carolina, line the garden wall. In every corner, there is something precious to find: a bird’s nest that fits in the palm of her hand, a young Japanese maple, a sculpture of a songbird perched high above the flowerbed.

Trailed by her English Springer Spaniels, Gail King walks through her private garden each night, past the goldfish pond and the flowers climbing high, blooming in every color. She sits in a chair at the edge of her pool and looks up. “I look at the tree, and I look at the night sky,” Gail says. “And I just — every night, I enjoy the garden for myself.”

In this video, Gail reveals how she brought this magnificent private garden to life.

Our resident sommelier, Matthew Sayer, reveals his
latest wine recommendation for the spring season: the
2022 Muga Rosé. This refreshing rosé boasts tasting
notes of peaches, strawberries, and a hint of white
blossom and citrus. Grown with Garnacha and Viura
grapes in the fertile soil of Valle del Oja, Spain, Muga
Rosada is the finest palate experience and pairs
wonderfully with pasta dishes, fresh salads, and light
appetizers. Matt notes that this wine is like ‘spring in a
bottle’, so be sure to enjoy a glass with us this season!

With the arrival of spring comes the warmth that makes the Palmetto State so famous. One of the best spaces to relax at The Willcox has always been around the pool, which has undergone recent renovations in time for the spring and summer.

The Willcox now offers more room for al fresco dining and outdoor event space with the additions of fresh brickwork and an expanded layout. In addition to a larger poolside space, you might also notice a variety of landscaping enhancements surrounding the area.

Whether it’s a dip in the pool, brunch, or a celebratory event this spring, you are invited to check out these recent improvements upon your next visit!

Interested in booking your next event with us? Contact Katherine Grantham at kgrantham@thewillcox.com for more information.

 

This year marks the Aiken Steeplechase Association’s 57th Annual Spring Steeplechase Championship, slated for Saturday, March 23rd at the Aiken Steeplechase Racecourse. As locals and visitors alike travel to witness this historic tradition of equestrian pageantry, it’s one of Aiken’s most wondrous spring occasions. Although the big event all whittles down to equine excellence, steeplechase festivities breathe exciting energy to the City of Aiken with a carriage parade, stick horse races, hat contests, tailgate competitions, tent parties and more.

Cheers of onlookers echo as scents of spring fill the air, and women’s decorative hats and men’s seersucker suits blend seamlessly with the surrounding excitement. To help the Aiken community and its visitors get Steeplechase-ready, downtown Aiken abounds with a variety of local shops and boutiques to help you celebrate race day in classic style.

Whether you are a local or visiting this spring, Aiken’s equestrian roots are a way of life in this corner of the Palmetto State. For quintessential southern expression, explore the City of Aiken’s list of local retailers here. For more information regarding ticket purchases and how you can keep the steeplechase traditions thriving in Aiken, visit aikensteeplechase.com.