South Carolina Railroad

National Register Listing

Street Address:

Address Restricted (Aiken County)

Alternate Name:

38AK1156;Aiken Inclined Plane;Charleston and Hamburg Railroad

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NRHP Nomination

Record Number:

S10817702043

Description and Narrative:

This segment of the South Carolina Railroad near Aiken is significant at the national level under Criterion A: Transportation, Criterion C: Engineering, and Criterion D: Archaeology. The South Carolina Railroad (also called the Charleston and Hamburg Railroad) was constructed by the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company between 1830 and 1833. It was one of the earliest railroads in the United States and upon its completion was the longest railroad in the world. The first long railroad designed to be powered totally by steam, the rail line was constructed with innovative techniques over its entire 136-mile span in less than three years. This segment of the railroad being listed in the Register was among the last portions constructed and was abandoned in 1853. It also included the track’s original inclined plane, a major feat of engineering that was one of only three such rail features to be built in the United States during the early 1830s. This section of the rail system was worked on and modified in the period from 1833 to 1850 but the original design and many artifacts from the earliest period remain. The period of significance begins with the construction of this section of track in 1833 and ends with the abandonment of the inclined plane in 1853. Listed in the National Register September 23, 2021.

Period of Significance:

1833 – 1853

Level of Significance:

National

Area of Significance:

Transportation;Engineering;Archeology: Historic - Non-Aboriginal

National Register Determination:

listed

Date of Certification:

September 23 2021

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