City of Aiken, SC / Hopelands and Rye Patch 50th Anniversary

Our final video installment celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch features Anna Dangerfield, current President of the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch. The Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch have been instrumental in preserving Ms. Iselin’s vision for Hopelands Gardens as a tranquil place for visitors to come and enjoy. Their support of the numerous projects has helped maintain and enhance Hopelands Gardens' beauty over the years. The City of Aiken is delighted to have them as a partner in helping to oversee the posterity of Mrs. Iselin’s wishes for future generations. We would like to wish the Friends of Hopelands Gardens and Rye Patch a happy 50th Anniversary and look forward to many years to come.

Our seventh video installment celebrating the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch 50th Anniversary features Councilwoman Lessie Price, who has an extraordinary bond with Hopelands Gardens. Councilwoman Price shares her father’s experience as Head Caretaker of Hopelands Gardens and the joy and pride he took in maintaining this beautiful property. We encourage you all to come out and enjoy Hopelands Gardens and make your own unforgettable memories.

Our sixth video installment, celebrating the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch 50th Anniversary, features two historical buildings that are original to the Iselin Estate. The Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame and Museum is part of the original stables, and the Doll House was used as a play house by daughter, Hope Iselin. Both of these are open to the public.
Please enjoy our featured guests, Mrs. Bettye Ralon, President of the Aiken Garden Council, discussing the Doll House and Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame Docent, Ms. Susan Gilbert.

As we enter the New Year, our fifth video installment celebrating the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch 50th Anniversary showcases the wonderful treasure of Hopelands Gardens as a place of beautiful tranquility. Mrs. Jackie Hill, our very own Labyrinth Lady, teaches us about all the ways we can utilize the Labyrinth in Hopelands Gardens. While Aaron Campbell, City of Aiken Horticulturist, talks about the historic and diverse nature in the Gardens. We hope that as we enter a New Year, Hopelands Gardens will be a place where you can reflect and renew.

As we enter the 29th year of Christmas in Hopelands, our fourth video installment celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Friends of Hopelands provides a brief glimpse of how this wonderful program got its start. Please enjoy our guest speaker, Michaela Berley, who was instrumental in getting this program off the ground. Creating this family tradition of Christmas in Hopelands would not have been possible without the help and support of the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch.

Hopelands Gardens is celebrating 50 years of being part of the City of Aiken. Operated under the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, the 14-acre estate of Winter Colonist Mrs. Charles Oliver Iselin, has since l970, provided visitors with quiet and peaceful gardens of excellence. In l971, the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch was started when a group of civic leaders supporting the acquisition of Hopelands Gardens recognized the need to raise funds to help the City maintain the gardens. The Friends of Hopelands was created 49 years ago and later added “Rye Patch” when Rye Patch was donated in 1981.

For the remainder of this year and next, the City of Aiken and the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch are celebrating 50 years of collaboration in maintaining and developing Hopelands Gardens and Rye Patch.

Hopelands Gardens is celebrating 50 years of being part of the City of Aiken. Operated under the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, the 14-acre estate of Winter Colonist Mrs. Charles Oliver Iselin, has since l970, provided visitors with quiet and peaceful gardens of excellence. In l971, the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch was started when a group of civic leaders supporting the acquisition of Hopelands Gardens recognized the need to raise funds to help the City maintain the gardens. The Friends of Hopelands was created 49 years ago and later added “Rye Patch” when Rye Patch was donated in 1981.

For the remainder of this year and next, the City of Aiken and the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch are celebrating 50 years of collaboration in maintaining and developing Hopelands Gardens and Rye Patch.

Hopelands Gardens is celebrating 50 years of being part of the City of Aiken. Operated under the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department, the 14-acre estate of Winter Colonist Mrs. Charles Oliver Iselin, has since l970, provided visitors with quiet and peaceful gardens of excellence. In l971, the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch was started when a group of civic leaders supporting the acquisition of Hopelands Gardens recognized the need to raise funds to help the City maintain the gardens. The Friends of Hopelands was created 49 years ago and later added “Rye Patch” when Rye Patch was donated in 1981.

For the remainder of this year and next, the City of Aiken and the Friends of Hopelands and Rye Patch are celebrating 50 years of collaboration in maintaining and developing Hopelands Gardens and Rye Patch.
To launch this celebration, the City of Aiken will be showing video series that focus on the history and importance of Hopelands Gardens to the Aiken Community. These series will also be aired on Channel 4. The series begins with Aiken’s Mayor Rick Osbon and will post a different one each month.