Aiken in Aiken County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Inclined Plane
Near here is the site of the Inclined Plane, a crucial segment of the original S.C. Railroad. The railroad's mainline was built from 1830 to 1833 by the S.C. Canal & Rail Road Co. to connect Charleston to Hamburg and the Savannah River. The 136-mi. track was the longest in the world when completed. The Inclined plane began at Engine House near the intersection of Highland Park Drive and Highland Park terrace and was among the last sections of the railroad ailroad. to be built.
The Inclined Plane allowed trains to pass between Aiken and Hamburg despite the steepest gradient anywhere along the railroad. Trains were counterbalanced at opposite ends of two half-mile-long parallel tracks and attached to a cable driven by a stationary engine, which lowered and raised trains simultaneously over a 180-ft. change in elevation. The Inclined Plane was abandoned after a longer but quicker route that included the nearby Aiken Cut was built in 1852.
Erected 2020 by South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, sponsored by Aiken County Historical Society. (Marker Number 2-77.)
Topics and series. This historical marker
this page online
Location. 33° 33.546′ N, 81° 43.553′ W. Marker is in Aiken, South Carolina, in Aiken County. It is at the intersection of Highland Park Avenue Southwest and Highland Park Terrace Southwest, on the left when traveling west on Highland Park Avenue Southwest. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 521 Highland Park Dr SW, Aiken SC 29801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Augusta and in the Midlands. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Highland Park Hotel (within
Another marker is no longer nearby. South Carolina Canal & Rail Road Company (was about 700 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Credits. This page was last revised on January 20, 2026. It was originally submitted on January 20, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 33 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 20, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
