NewcomersGuide_2017_SpringSummer_-web

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SPRING // SUMMER 2017

PUBLISHER 

Stuart Rayburn 

EDITOR 

Patrick O’Connor 

ART DIRECTION 

Linda Motto 

Sarah Pacetti 

COVER DESIGN 

Jason Craig 

contributors 

Mackenzie Ainsworth 

Lorna Barrett 

Grace Belangia 

Gabby Boardman Benton 

Trip Bowden 

Rick Brown 

Dr. Lee Ann Caldwell 

Randy DuTeau 

Neil Gordon 

Jay Jacobs 

Linda Motto 

Megan Moye 

Sid Mulliss 

Patric O’Connor 

Sarah Pacetti 

Eric Parker 

Rob Pavey 

Ed Peden 

Matt Porter 

Stuart Rayburn 

Rebecca Rogers 

Tammy Shepard 

Eve Turner 

Steven Uhles 

Campbell Vaughn 

advertising sales 

STUART RAYBURN 

Stuart@TheNewcomersGuide.com 

706-306-8088 

PATRICK O’CONNOR 

Patrick@TheNewcomersGuide.com 

706-524-8417 

The Newcomers Guide for Greater Augusta is published by Business Cultivator, LLC. 

Copyright 2017, All rights reserved. No reproduction of this material in whole or in part 

is permitted without express written permission of the publisher. 

THE NEWCOMERS GUIDE 

111 10TH STREET 

AUGUSTA, GA 30901 

706.504.3592 

INFO@THENEWCOMERSGUIDE.COM 

4 | THE NEWCOMERS GUIDE: GREATER AUGUSTA

www.TheNewcomersGuide.com | 5

MAYOR HARDIE DAVIS, JR. 

WELCOME TO AUGUSTA AND THE 

CENTRAL SAVANNAH RIVER AREA. 

We are the Cybertech Capital of the 

South, the home of James Brown, Jessye 

Norman and the Golf Capitol of the world. 

Maybe, you’ve decided to relocate here to take advantage of the great schools or 

the perfect job opportunity. Perhaps, it is because of the moderate climate and the 

Southern hospitality and charm. Whatever your reason for being here – I’m glad 

you’ve chosen Augusta! 

Augusta is home to a strong, healthy and diverse economy. We have a cutting edge 

technology community that will continue to expand with the growth of the U.S. 

Army Cyber Command Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon. Roughly 60 percent of 

all the low-speed vehicles — golf cars, utility vehicles and the occasional Bad Boy 

Buggy — in the world are manufactured here, and our Starbucks manufacturing 

facility also has your cup-o-joe ready to go. We are home to Augusta University 

with its liberal arts programs on the historic Summerville, and the Medical College 

of Georgia, the state’s premier medical training school for more than 100 years. 

Augusta University is home to groundbreaking research in all fields of study and 

the Cancer Center’s innovative approach to research and treatment have made it 

a leader in the field. 

There’s more. We have a vibrant arts community, historic landmarks, the Augusta 

Museum of History and the Lucy C. Laney Museum of History. Drop in at the Sacred 

Heart Cultural Center. Support local businesses in beautiful downtown Augusta, in 

the Shoppes at Surrey and throughout the city. This guide will help you to find out 

more about Augusta and the great things our community has to offer – shopping, 

dining, schools, children’s activities, nightlife and more. Once you are met with the 

friendly spirit of Augustans from every corner of the city, you’ll discover that you 

have found something much more than a new place to live. 

YOU HAVE FOUND A 


essentials 

RESOURCES AND UTILITIES GUIDE 10 

GREATER AUGUSTA AT A GLANCE 14 

AUGUSTA’S STORY 15 

AFTER THE MOVE 18 

home 

FINDING YOUR HOME 22 

AUGUSTA MARKET WATCH 25 

FAMILY-FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS 26 

REMODELING THAT PAYS 28 

DESIGN TIPS COURTESY OF DECORATORS OUTLET 30 

GARDENING CALENDAR 32 

NATIVE PLANTS OF THE AUGUSTA AREA 38 

RENT YOUR HOME FOR MASTERS 40 

family 

11 GREAT WAYS TO MEET NEW PEOPLE 42 

QUALITY TIME WITH YOUR KIDS 45 

KID APPROVED PLACES FOR FUN DINING 48 

PET-FRIENDLY PLACES 52 

WHAT TO DO IF YOU LOOSE YOUR PET 54 

community 

COLUMBIA COUNTY CHAMER OF COMMERCE 58 

FORT GORDON 60 

ONLY IN AUGUSTA 64 

ARTS AND CULTURE 68 

MAKING THE MOST OF MASTERS WEEK 70 

THE NEON LIGHTS ARE BRIGHT ON BROAD STREET 75 

AUGUSTA BY ANY OTHER NAME 79 

HACK AUGUSTA 81 

GET ACTIVE OUTSIDE 82 

HUNTING AND FISHING 85 



ESSENTIALS 


ESSENTIALS 

For an online list with direct links to resource websites, visit 

TheNewcomersGuide.com/essentials 

EMERGENCY 911 

POLICE 

AIKEN COUNTY 

aikencountysheriff.org 

803.642.1761 

COLUMBIA COUNTY 

columbiacountyso.org 

706.541.2876 

APPLING 

706.541.2800 

GROVETOWN 

706.863.1212 

RICHMOND COUNTY 

richmondcountysheriffsoffice.com 

INFORMATION: 706.821.1000 

DISPATCH: 706.821.1080 

FIRE 

AUGUSTA / 


706.821.2909 


706.863.7745 

GROVETOWN 

706.863.1212 

HARLEM 

706.556.0344 

MARTINEZ 

706.863.7745 

DRIVER’S LICENSE 

You have 30 days to obtain your new license in Georgia, 45 days in 

South Carolina. MILITARY: If you plan to keep your home state driver’s 

license and it will expire while you’re out of state, contact the DMV to 

update your driving record and request an Extension of License form 

to carry with your driver’s license. 

GEORGIA 


3423 Mike Padgett Hwy 

706.771.7815 


4408 Evans to Locks Rd 

706.860.3616 

SOUTH CAROLINA 

AIKEN COUNTY 

1755 Richland Ave E 

803.641.7752 


MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION 

GEORGIA 


AUGUSTA 

925 Laney Walker Blvd 

706.821.2476 

2029 Lumpkin Road 

706.821.2476 


APPLING 

706.541.1808 

EVANS 

706.868.6884 

ESSENTIALS 

BOAT REGISTRATION: 706.737.1480 

georgiawildlife.com/boating/registration 

SOUTH CAROLINA 

AIKEN COUNTY You have 45 days to transfer your vehicle title and registration. 

www.scdmvonline.com 

1. At the Aiken County Government Center (1930 University Pkwy), get your tax 

assessment at the auditor’s office. 

2. Pay tax bill at auditor’s office. You will be issued a paid property tax receipt. 

3. Go to the South Carolina DMV. You will need: 

a. The paid property receipt from the Aiken County Government Center 

b. Your out-of-state vehicle title and registration 

c. Liability insurance information 

d. Odometer mileage reading 

e. Personal identification 

AIKEN 

1755 Richland Ave E 

803.641.7752 

NORTH AUGUSTA 

1913 Ascauga Lake Rd 

803.279.6659 

BOAT REGISTRATION: 843.953.9301 

www.dnr.sc.gov/boating/registration.html 

VOTER REGISTRATION 

AIKEN COUNTY 

1930 University Pkwy. 

Ste. 1200 

Aiken, SC 29801 

803.642.2028 

aikencountysc.gov 


500 Faircloth Dr. 

Bldg. E 

Evans, GA 30809 

706.868.3355 

columbiacountyga.gov 


535 Telfair St. 

#500 

Augusta, GA 30901 

706.821.2340 

augustaga.gov 


CABLE / INTERNET / TELEPHONE 

ESSENTIALS 

AIKEN COUNTY 

AT&T 800.288.2020 

Atlantic Broadband 888.301.8649 

Xfinity 509.790.0258 

COLUMBIA COUNTY & AUGUSTA / RICHMOND COUNTIES 

Comcast 706.733.7712 

WOW 706.364.1000 

GARBAGE COLLECTION 

AIKEN COUNTY 

City of Aiken Public Service Department 803.642.7613 

Tyler’s Sanitation, Inc. 803.648.6714 


Advanced Disposal 706.790.7920 

Augusta Disposal & Recycling 

706.860.220S 

Recycling 706.312.7195 

AUGUSTA / RICHMOND COUNTY 

Augusta Solid Waste Department 706.592.3200 

GAS 

AIKEN COUNTY 

South Carolina Electric & Gas 800.251.7234 

COLUMBIA COUNTY 800.282.5813 

AUGUSTA / RICHMOND COUNTY 

Public Service Commission 800.282.5813 

ELECTRIC 

AIKEN COUNTY 

Aiken Electric Cooperative 803.649.6285 

South Carolina Electric & Gas 800.251.7234 


Georgia Power 888.660.5890 


Georgia Power 888.660.5890 

Jefferson Energy 706.592.4531 


WATER 

AIKEN COUNTY 

Aiken 803.642.7603 

North Augusta 803.441.4219 

COLUMBIA COUNTY 706.863.6928 

AUGUSTA / RICHMOND COUNTY 706.821.1851 

ESSENTIALS 

GENERAL INFORMATION 

AIKEN COUNTY 803.642.1500 


Columbia County Customer Service 706.868.3375 

Grovetown 706.863.4576 

Harlem 706.556.3448 

AUGUSTA/RICHMOND COUNTY 

Augusta Cares Hotline 706.821.2300 

Fort Gordon 706.791.0110 

AIRPORTS 

Aiken Municipal Airport 803.648.7803 

Augusta Regional Airport 706.798.3236 

Daniel Field 706.733.1647 

EDUCATION 

AIKEN COUNTY Board of Education 803.641.2431 

COLUMBIA COUNTY Board of Education 706.541.0650 

RICHMOND COUNTY Board of Education 706.826.1000 

HOSPITALS 

Aiken Regional Medical Center 803.641.5000 

Augusta University Medical Center 706.721.4959 

Doctors Hospital 706.651.3232 

Eisenhower Medical Center 706.787.5811 

Trinity Hospital 706.481.7000 

University Hospital 706.722.9011 

Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center 

950 15th Street 706.733.0188 

1 Freedom Way 706.733.0188 


ESSENTIALS 


AUGUSTA’S STORY 

BY LEE ANN CALDWELL, PH.D. 

Director of the Center for the Study of Georgia History at Augusta University 

ESSENTIALS 

THE RIVER brought the first peoples 

to this place. Located on the fall line 

where the Piedmont meets the ancient 

shore at the Sand Hills, the Augusta 

community began in 1736 as a fur 

trading post and fort named in honor of 

Princess Augusta, bride of the Prince of 

Wales. The American Revolution began 

less than four decades later; in Augusta 

and other areas of the backcountry 

it was, for the most part, a civil war 

fought between Americans-- Patriots 

and Loyalists. 

Following the Revolution, Augusta 

was the capital of Georgia for ten 

years during which the United States 

Constitution was ratified by the state. 

In 1783 Augustans founded the 

Academy of Richmond County, the 

first high school in Georgia and one of 

the oldest in the nation. Throughout 

the early national and antebellum 

eras Augusta grew as the marketplace 

of the surrounding countryside. In 

the late 18th century tobacco came 

to town by river or across tobacco 

roads. By the 19th century cotton had 

replaced it. After 1816 steamboats 

plied the river between Augusta and 

Savannah and in 1833 the Georgia 

Railroad was founded to link Augusta 

with the interior. With the introduction 

of tobacco and cotton, the plantation 

system, and slavery, also grew. 

In 1819 the US government built an 

arsenal on the banks of the river and 

moved it to the Hill in 1827. Today, 

the main buildings are part of the 

Summerville campus of Augusta 

University. In 1828 medical education in 

the state began with the founding of the 

Medical College of Georgia, now one of 

the nine colleges at Augusta University. 


AUGUSTA’S STORY, cont’d 

ESSENTIALS 

In the mid-1840s, the community built 

a canal for hydro-mechanical power 

and early industry emerged. Having 

this source of water-power resulted in 

the construction of the Confederate 

Powder Works. Today only the chimney 

remains as a stark Civil War reminder. 

During the war Augusta was a major 

center for manufacturing and medical 

care. Future President of the United 

States Woodrow Wilson learned about 

war firsthand when his father’s First 

Presbyterian Church became a hospital 

after the Battle of Chickamauga. Today 

his boyhood home is a historic site 

telling that story. 

For Augusta’s African-American 

community the end of the war 

brought emancipation and citizenship. 

Churches, schools - including Lucy 

Laney’s Haines Institute, and Paine 

College – along with businesses and 

cultural institutions. In Springfield 

Baptist Church, one of the two oldest 

independent black churches in the 

country, both the Georgia Equal Rights 

Association and the school now known 

as Morehouse College began. 

After the war, Augusta became a 

“New South” city. Enlarging the canal 

increased its horsepower and large, 

architecturally significant textile mills 

surrounded by mill neighborhoods rose 

along its banks. Today Sibley and King 

Mills are the cornerstones of a National 

Historic District. The restored Enterprise 

Mill houses an interpretive center that 

tells the story of the mills and offers 

Petersburg boat rides on the canal, now 

a National Heritage Area. 

In 1888 Augusta held a national 

exposition that triggered the winter 

tourism industry. For decades the 

wealthy of the North spent their winter 

months enjoying Augusta’s milder 

climate in resort hotels or in fine homes 

they built on the Hill in Summerville. 

In the early 20th century, growth and 

modernization continued with the 

building of the first skyscrapers, still 

part of Augusta’s skyline. Like other 

cities, Augusta had a roaring side in 

the 1920s and then suffered through 

the Depression in the 1930s. The 

bright spot of that decade was the 

establishment of the Augusta National 

Golf Club and the beginning of the 

annual Masters Golf Tournament. 

Augusta has always had a connection 

with the military—Fort Augusta, the 

US Arsenal, Camp MacKenzie in the 

Spanish-American War, Camp Hancock 

in World War I, and Camp Gordon in 

World War II which became Fort Gordon 

in the 1950s. Now home to the US Army 

Signal School and Cyber Command, 

Fort Gordon remains an integral part of 


Augusta’s past, present, and future. 

In addition to its continued relationship 

with the military, Augusta expanded 

its economy by diversifying its 

manufacturing and reviving its tourist 

industry. Dams built on the Savannah 

River and Savannah River Site nuclear 

fuels facility added to the boom. Rapid 

suburbanization spread throughout 

the area, necessitating the current 

revitalization of the city’s core. 

ESSENTIALS 

Today, Augusta is a city that retains 

strong ties to its long and illustrious past 

while continuing to build and evolve. 

WELCOME. 

For more information on the history 

of Augusta, visit the Augusta History 

Museum on 6th Street. 


ESSENTIALS 

WE OFTEN FORGET that there’s more to a move than the 

admittedly time-consuming drill of pack-transport-unpack. 

Setting up a new household, be it solo or for a family, usually means jumping through 

a seemingly endless array of hoops. Be it connecting new utilities, registering kids 

for school or ensuring that your home – both previous and present – is ready for 

habitation requires a certain degree of vigilance and effort. 

We at the Newcomers Guide understand that it can be daunting and offer this – a 

simple checklist of tasks that may require attention along with some helpful contact 

information for your convenience. 

before you leave 

Plan your travel itinerary. Make 

transportation arrangements and 

any hotel reservations in advance. 

Send change of address to post office 

(with forwarding address), credit cards, 

subscriptions, friends and family. 

Contact utility companies in new 

location to arrange for immediate 

service. (See contacts on page 18) 

Arrange insurance on new home. 

Transfer bank account or close 

your current accounts 

Service any appliances 

making the move. 

Discontinue regular deliveries, utilities, 

newspapers and garbage collection. 

Obtain copies of or transfer 

school records. 

Obtain records from doctors 

and dentists, including 

eyeglass prescriptions, dental 

X-rays and vaccinations. 

Cancel club memberships. 

Arrange for transporting pets and 

obtain immunization records. 

Return library books. 

after the move: 

CHECK MAJOR APPLIANCES 

Hook up appliances and electronics 

to make sure they work. If there is a 

problem, consult with your moving 

company immediately. 

CHECK ALL BOXES AND FURNITURE 

Make sure everything is accounted for 

and there is no damage to furniture. 

SET UP YOUR UTILITIES 

If you have not done so already, call to 

arrange an appointment to get your 

services hooked up. See our handy list 

of providers on page 12. 

FIND A GOOD SCHOOL AND 

REGISTER YOUR CHILDREN. 

Take the time now to research and 

register your children for school. If you 

are early, put it on your calendar for the 

day registration opens and have all of 

your paperwork ready to go. 


ESSENTIALS 

GET ROAD READY. You must 

register your vehicle in your new 

city or state by going to the local 

tag office. Don’t forget to take this 

opportunity to get a new driver’s 

license and update the insurance 

on your vehicle. 

REGISTER TO VOTE. Visit your 

local Board of Elections to get 

registered to vote, doing this 

now will save you a lot of time in 

the future. 

TRANSFER YOUR INSURANCE. 

If you haven’t already, take the time 

to transfer all of your insurance. Make 

sure your home, vehicles, recreational 

vehicles, health and life is insured. To 

find a local agent, please visit our list of 

preferred vendors in the index section 

of the Newcomers Guide. 

RE-KEY LOCKS, ENSURING ONLY YOU 

HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR NEW HOME. 

ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH HOME 

OWNERS ASSOCIATION (HOA). 

MAKE SURE YOU ARE GETTING 

YOUR MAIL. Check with the 

Post Office to make sure they are 

forwarding your mail from the old 

address to your new one. 

FIND YOUR NEW HEALTH 

PROFESSIONALS. Look for 

a new General Practitioner, 

Dentist, Specialists, 

Pediatricians, if necessary and a 

Vet for your pets. See our list of 

preferred providers if you need 

suggestions. 

CREATE A NEW EMERGENCY 

CONTACT LIST FOR YOUR 

REFRIGERATOR. 

GET YOUR FINANCES MOVED 

OVER. Now is a good time to 

set up new accounts. Get a local 

Checking and savings account. 

Check around to see if you can 

find a local Broker or Financial 

Planner that you are comfortable 

with. Don’t forget to open a local 

safe deposit box. 



HOME 


HOME 

TAKING THE TIME to do a little research before you commit to a working 

relationship with a real estate agent can prove beneficial to you by saving you 

time and money. Try these tips before you hire to get the best service available 

and have a pleasant experience. 

If you are buying, ask for a list of recent 

clients your potential real estate agent 

has helped find a home. Call them and 

ask about their experience. 

If you are selling, ask agents to provide 

a list of what they’ve listed and sold in 

the past year, with contact information. 

When you call, you should ask what 

the asking price was and then what 

the sales price was. Another good 

question for sellers is: How long has 

the home been on the market? 

Georgia has a Board of Realtors® who license and discipline real estate agents. 

Check with them to find out if your potential agent is licensed and if there have 

been any disciplinary actions or complaints against them. The information may 

be posted online. 


Peer-given awards count. One that really means something is the “Realtor ® of the 

Year” designation awarded by the state or local branch of the Board of Realtors. 

Just as other professionals specialize, so do real estate agents. And even 

generalists will get additional training in some areas. So those initials after the 

name can be an indication that the person has taken additional classes in a certain 

specialty of real estate sales. Here is what some of the designations mean: 

CRS 

CERTIFIED RESIDENTIAL SPECIALIST 

Completed additional training in handling 

residential real estate. 

HOME 

ABR 

ACCREDITED BUYER’S REPRESENTATIVE 

Completed additional education in representing 

buyers in a transaction. 

SRES 

SENIORS REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST 

Completed training aimed at helping buyers and 

sellers in the 50-plus age range. 

If the agents call themselves Realtors® that means they are members of the 

National Association of Realtors. By hiring a Realtor®, you get an agent who 

formally pledges to support the code of ethics. 

You can often find out how long the 

agent has been selling real estate from 

the state licensing authority. Or, you 

can just ask the agent. 

Look for someone who has been in 

business for more than five years, 

otherwise, they may be learning on 

your time, and that’s not ideal. 

Check out an agent’s listings online. A few places to look are the agency’s 

own site, Zillow.com and Realtor.com. Check out how the agent portrays 

their current listings. This may give you some insight into how thorough 

they are and their attention to detail. 


SEVEN STEPS TO FINDING A GREAT AGENT, cont’d 

You also may look at how closely the agent’s listings mirror the property you want 

to buy or sell. Are they in the same area? Is the price range similar? And does the 

agent have enough listings to indicate a healthy business but not so many that 

you’d just be a number? 

HOME 

A good agent should know about other area properties that are available off the 

top of his head. Mention a house in your area that has sold recently or is for sale. 

If the agent knows the property and can give you a few details, that means he or 

she really knows your area. 

IF YOU DO THESE THINGS, YOU WILL BE ON YOUR WAY TO FINDING A REAL ESTATE 

AGENT THAT CAN HELP YOU BUY OR SELL A HOME IN THE SHORTEST TIME AND FOR 

THE BEST RETURN. 

CHECK OUT OUR PREFERRED VENDORS LIST IN THE INDEX FOR A LIST 

OF AGENTS WE RECOMMEND! 


AUGUSTA MARKET WATCH 

BY SALLY WEST, 

Realtor with Blanchard and Calhoun 

ALMOST EVERYONE IN THE WORLD 

KNOWS THAT AUGUSTA DOES 

GOLF, AND DOES IT WELL. WHAT 

EVERYONE DOESN’T KNOW IS 

THAT GOLF ISN’T THE ONLY THING 

THAT MAKES AUGUSTA GREAT. 

As Georgia’s third-largest city, 

Augusta boasts a rich history due 

to its position on the Savannah 

River; there are several colleges and 

universities with programming geared 

toward the industries specific to the 

community; and vibrant arts, cultural 

and educational communities provide 

myriad opportunities for enrichment. 

Additionally, the recent merger of 

Augusta State University with the 

Medical College of Georgia has created 

a medical education community 

unrivaled in the state. The recent 

location of the Army’s Cyber Center of 

Excellence at our local Army base, Fort 

Gordon, has prompted extreme growth 

in Augusta’s cyber and tech industries. 

Consequently, the real estate market 

is healthy, and many people moving 

from out of the state will find housing 

in Augusta to be affordable when 

compared to other locales. 

If you stay in the area any amount of 

time, you will hear it referred to as 

the CSRA. What the heck is that, you 

ask? It stands for Central Savannah 

River Area, and it was named so by a 

newspaper contest in 1950. The CSRA 

includes 13 counties in Georgia and 

eight in South Carolina. 

Right now, the real estate market in 

the CSRA is robust in both rental and 

sales markets. People moving here can 

find lots of variety in types of housing; 

there are historic neighborhoods, urban 

lofts, all types of condos, townhomes 

and apartments, river-front, lake-front, 

water-front and canal-facing, great 

family neighborhoods with schools in 

walking distance, and parcels of land 

still waiting to be developed. You can 

find old homes, new homes, and homes 

in the process of being built. Current 

trends are indicating the onset of a 

buyer’s market, meaning that conditions 

will be better for buyers than sellers. 

Any local Realtor will be able to work 

with you to find a home that best 

suits you and your specific needs. Do 

remember, just as you shop for the 

best prices for things that go IN your 

home, make sure to shop for the best 

services when purchasing your home. 

When looking for the perfect Realtor, 

make sure you interview three to four 

to ensure you will be working with 

someone who knows the area well and 

is also a good personal fit for you. 

Overall, quality of life in Augusta is 

altogether pleasant. It is big enough to 

offer variety, diversity and opportunity, 

but small enough that many problems 

that plague larger metro areas – traffic, 

crime, pollution – are not huge issues. 

Whatever brings you to the area, it is 

certain that you will find the stimulation 

provided by Augusta’s exponential 

growth to provide ample possibilities 

for housing, recreation, jobs and fun. 

HOME 


BY MEGAN MOYE 

Marketing Director for Meybohm Realty 

JUNIOR OLYMPIC SIZED SWIMMING POOLS. Rows of tennis 

courts. Walking and jogging trails for miles.Besides outstanding 

amenities, our Southern slice of heaven includes top rated public and private 

schools, arts & entertainment for all ages, and neighborhoods nestled among 

beautifully landscaped greens & gardens. 

HOME 

Moving your family to a new town and planting new roots can be one of the most 

taxing mental and financial investments you will make. We hope to make things 

easier by providing a small sampling of neighborhoods that offer many of the 

above amenities and much more. 

GEM LAKES 

off Silver Bluff Road 

HOUNDSLAKE 

off Hitchcock Parkway 

MOUNT VINTAGE 

off Sweetwater Road 

SANDSTONE 

off Whiskey Road 

SOUTH MEADOWS 

off Whiskey Road 

WOODSIDE 

off Woodside Plantation Drive 

CRAWFORD CREEK 

off Columbia Road 

JONES CREEK 

off Evans to Locks Road 

NORTHWOOD 

off North Belair Road 

RIVERWOOD 

off Washington Road 

STRATFORD 

off Hardy McManus Road 

SUMTER LANDING 


WHISPERING PINES 

off William Few Parkway 

BRYNNWOOD 

off Walton Way 

MONTCLAIR 


SPRINGLAKES 


BARTRAM TRAIL 

off Columbia Road 

CANTERBURY 

off Chamblin Road 

PINE BLUFF 

off William Few Pkwy 


TROLLEY RUN 

off Trolley Run Blvd 

THE RAPIDS 

off Martintown Road 

RHODES FARM 


RIVER ISLAND 

off Old Blackstone Camp Road 

WATERVALE 

off Stevens Creek Road 

WEST LAKE 

off Stevens Creek Road 

Using a licensed, reputable real 

estate agent is your first step in 

securing a home in one of these 

beautiful neighborhoods. This 

list will give you a springboard to 

finding the perfect place to start 

your new adventure in our city! 

welcome home 

HOME 


REMODELING THAT PAYS: 

STRETCH YOUR BUDGET WITH PROJECTS THAT ENHANCE VALUE 

It is only natural for people to want to customize their space, to make it feel 

more like home. When we buy and move into a new home we have a unique 

opportunity to not only fix it up, but make it our own. But remodeling can be 

difficult on one’s checkbook, especially if you may be in the home for only a few 

years. This list will help you understand what projects will return on investment, 

so you can get some of that money back when you sell your home in the future. 

HOME 

The data used in this report was found online and collected in survey of real estate 

professionals between August and October 2013. All dollar amounts were rounded 

off to the nearest $100 and are approximate. 

1. ENTRY DOOR 

REPLACEMENT (steel) 

COST: $1,200 

RESALE VALUE: $1,100 

COST RECOUPED: 96.6% 

2. DECK ADDITION (wood) 

COST: $9,500 



3. ATTIC BEDROOM 

COST: $49,400 



4. GARAGE DOOR REPLACEMENT 

COST: $1,500 



5. MINOR KITCHEN REMODEL 

COST: $18,800 



6. WINDOW 

REPLACEMENT (wood) 

COST: $10,900 



7. WINDOW 

REPLACEMENT (vinyl) 

COST: $10,000 



8. SIDING REPLACEMENT (vinyl) 

COST: $11,500 



9. BASEMENT REMODEL 

COST: $62,900 



10. DECK ADDITION (composite) 

COST: $15,400 




1. SIDING REPLACEMENT 

(fiber-cement) 

COST: $13,400 



2. GARAGE DOOR 

REPLACEMENT 

COST: $2,800 



3. SIDING 

REPLACEMENT 

(foam-backed vinyl) 

COST: $14,200 



4. WINDOW 

REPLACEMENT (vinyl) 

COST: $13,400 



5. WINDOW 

REPLACEMENT (wood) 

COST: $16,800 



6. GRAND ENTRANCE 

(fiberglass) 

COST: $7,300 



7. DECK ADDITION 

(composite) 

COST: $35,000 



8. 

BATHROOM REMODEL 

COST: $51,500 



8. M A JOR 

KITCHEN REMODEL 

COST: $110,000 



9. ROOFING 

REPLACEMENT 

COST: $34,500 



10. BATHROOM 

ADDITION 

COST: $72,500 



HOME 


BY EVE TURNER 

MAKING A HOUSE INTO A HOME can be a daunting task that 

takes time, patience, creativity, vision, selection and experience, all 

of which are available in the local area. While large assortments of fabric can be 

overwhelming, the right blend can you turn your vision into a reality. Investing in 

custom window treatments, draperies, roman shades, bedding and pillows make 

a huge difference if you are going for an upscale look. There are options for every 

budget, especially if you love DIY projects. 

HOME 

MAKE SURE YOUR COLORS 

TOGETHER WELL AND FLOW IF YOU 

HAVE AN OPEN FLOOR PLAN. 

YOUR DRAPERIES AS HIGH AS 

POSSIBLE TO ELEVATE YOUR EYES AND 

MAKE YOUR CEILINGS APPEAR HIGHER. 

DON’T BE AFRAID TO FABRICS, 

SHAPES, TEXTURES AND COLORS 

TO ADD DIMENSION TO YOUR ROOM. 

A FOCAL POINT IN THE ROOM 

AND BUILD AROUND IT. DON’T OVER 

DECORATE BY CREATING TOO MANY 

STORIES. 

CUSTOM DUST RUFFLES AND BED 

RUNNERS REALLY 

A BEDROOM 

AND ADD AN EXTRA FINISHING TOUCH 

TO A SOLID COMFORTER OR COVERLET. 

WITH PILLOWS; THEY 

ARE AN EASY WAY TO CHANGE 

UP A ROOM WHEN YOUR MOOD 

CHANGES WITH THE SEASONS! 

PERSONALITY MAKES FOR A 

FABULOUS SPACE. YOUR ROOM NEEDS 

TO MAKE YOU SMILE! 



HOME

BY SID MULLISS, CEC 

Augusta-Richmond County 

AUGUSTA’S HOT, HUMID SUMMERS and mild winters offer 

gardening opportunities and challenges. Take a glace at this calendar to 

help you plan for gardening success. Remember, dates are applicable to the 

Augusta area and will not apply to all areas in Georgia and South Carolina. 

HOME 

Please note that brand names used are for educational use only and no 

endorsement is intended or implied by the Cooperative Extension office. 

We urge you to call your local Cooperative Extension office with any and all 

gardening questions. Phone numbers for those offices are listed below. 

cooperative extension local offices 

AIKEN COUNTY 

803-649-6297 


706-821-2350 


706-868-3413 

JANUARY 

1. Plant trees and shrubbery 

2. Mulch shrubbery 

1. Prepare rose beds and plant later in 

the month 

2. Lime rose beds as soil test indicates 

3. Fertilize pansies with liquid fertilizer 

1. Fertilize with liquid fertilizer 

2. Remove dead leaves, cut back where 

necessary 

3. Turn houseplants weekly to allow full 

coverage of sunshine 

1. Prune pears, apples, muscadines, and 

blackberries 

2. Do Not prune peaches or plums 

3. Mulch strawberries 

4. Plant fruit trees 

1. Make garden plan and prepare soil 

2. Prepare flats and seed spring vegetables 

for transplanting in February and March 

3. Plant onions 

4. Service power equipment such as tillers, 

lawn mowers, etc. 

1. Soil test every 3 to 5 years 

2. Service and test spray equipment 

3. Spray winter weeds with approved 

herbicides 

4. Spray wild onions with approved 

herbicide 


FEBRUARY 

1. Plant shrubbery and small trees 

2. Prune summer flowering shrubbery 

3. Cut back overgrown shrubbery & trees 


5. Cut back liriope to highest mower 

blade setting 

1. Fertilize with liquid fertilizer 

2. Turn houseplants weekly to allow full 

coverage by sun 

1. Prune hybrid tea roses 

2. Spray roses to prevent disease 

3. Plant new rose bushes 

4. Plant hardy annuals such as baby’s 

breath, pansies, petunias, sweet peas 

and foxglove 

1. Prune apples, pears, plums, peaches, 

blackberries, muscadines & grapes 


3. Prune low hanging limbs on pecan trees 

4. Plant blueberries 

5. Spray fruit trees with lime-sulfur before 

blooming 

HOME 

1. Plant beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, 

collards, kale, lettuce, mustard, onions, 

English peas, Irish potatoes, radishes, 

spinach & turnips 

2. Seed tomatoes, peppers, eggplants for 

growing transplants for later planting 

1. Apply pre-emergence herbicides to 

prevent summer weeds during last 

half of month 

2. Spray winter weeds with approved 

herbicides 

MARCH 

1. Complete pruning for shape 

2. Prune overgrown shrubbery 

3. Fertilize shrubbery 


5. Plant shrubbery 

1. Fertilize bulbs & remove dead flower heads 

2. Fertilize roses 

3. Prepare plan for spring and summer 

plantings of annuals 

4. Plant hardy annuals 

5. Plant perennials 

1. Fertilize houseplants monthly 

2. Repot houseplants where needed 

1. Prepare soil for vegetable garden 

2. Bed sweet potato plants for slips 

3. Cultivate weeds after emergence 

4. Plant sweet corn at end of month 

1. Fertilize fruit trees. 

2. Plant strawberries 

3. Spray apple and pear trees for fire blight 

when in bloom 

4. Prune fig trees in late March 

5. Fertilize pecan trees with fertilizers 

containing zinc 

1. Apply pre-emergence herbicides 

2. Delay fertilizing Bermuda, Zoysia and St. 

Augustine until soil about mid-April 

3. Top dress lawns, do not use pure sand 


GARDENING CALENDAR, cont’d 

APRIL & MAY 

HOME 

1. Prune flowering 

shrubbery such as 

quince, azaleas, spirea 

& forsythia after they 

have finished blooming 

2. Check junipers, cedars 

& arborvitae for 

bagworms 

3. Check shrubbery for 

tea scale & control if 

necessary 

4. Check azaleas for lace 

bugs and control if 

necessary 

1. Fertilize at two week 

intervals 

1. Establish Centipede, 

Zoysia, Bermuda & 

St. Augustine lawns 

2. Fertilize Zoysia, 

Bermuda & St. 

Augustine lawns 

3. Sod or sprig grasses 

4. Control broad-leaf 

weeds 

5. Watch for signs of 

disease and winter kill 

1. Plant tomatoes, beans, 

cucumber, squash, butter 

peas, eggplants, peppers 

and southern peas 

2. Plant okra, peanuts, 

and sweet potatoes in 

late April 

1. Fertilize bulbs & Plant 

summer flowering bulbs 

2. Prepare beds for annual 

flowers 


1. Thin fruits if set is too 

heavy 

2. Remove strawberry 

flowers on plants set 

this spring Wait until 

next year for harvest 

3. Stay on Cooperative 

Extension spray 

program for disease 

and insect control 

JUNE 

1. Prune azaleas & 

camellias 

2. Spray crape myrtles 

with insecticides for 

aphid control 

3. Take cutting of broadleaf 

evergreen & 

deciduous shrubbery 

for rooting 

4. Do “Touch Up” pruning 

when new shrubbery 

growth reaches twelve 

inches. 

1. Fertilize at two week 

intervals 

2. Clean houseplants that 

have become dusty 

1. Plant grass where needed 

2. Fertilize lawns if needed 

3. Apply second application 

of herbicide 

4. Check lawn for disease 

and insect damage, chinch 

bugs and mole crickets 

1. Harvest vegetables at 

peak quality 

2. Make a second planting 

of beans, sweet 

corn, squash, okra, & 

cucumbers 

3. Spray tomatoes with 

calcium chloride to 

correct blossom end rot 

4. Fertilize tomatoes every 

4 to 6 weeks 

1. Continue to plant 

marigolds, zinnias, 

salvia, annual vinca & 

begonias 

2. Pinch terminals of 

flowers to promote 

branching 

3. Spray roses for insect 

and disease control 

4. Plant dahlias 


1. Thin fruit where set is 

too heavy 

2. Make second application 

of fertilizer to 

blackberries and apples 

3. Spray fungicide for 

disease prevention & 

control 

4. Apply insecticide 

where needed 


JULY 

1. Fertilize shrubbery 

2. Divide and transplant 

liriope 

3. Watch shrubbery 

carefully for water 

stress, keep adequate 

water applied, water 

shrubbery under trees 

more often 

4. Check shrubbery for 

insects and control 

where necessary 

1. Fertilize bi-weekly 

1. Fertilize lawns 

2. Treat for mole crickets 

3. Scout for chinch bugs 

in St. Augustine lawns 

1. Plant beans during the first 

half of month for continued 

production 

2. Prepare Fall garden plan 

1. Remove spent flower 

heads on annuals 

2. Fertilize annuals and 

perennials 

3. Seed biennials and 

perennials 


1. Continue timely 

application of 

insecticides and 

fungicides 

HOME 

AUGUST 

1. Watch for bagworms on 

junipers & other narrow 

leaf evergreen shrubs 

2. Fertilize hollies if berry 

set is heavy 

3. Prune shrubbery. Do 

not prune azaleas and 

camellias now 

4. Remove old crape myrtle 

flowers as soon as their 

color fades 

5. Spray pyracantha for 

lace bugs with systemic 

insecticide 

1. Fertilize bi-monthly 

1. Water during extreme 

drought 

2. Fertilize lawns if needed 

3. Control disease and 

insects 

4. Replace dead patches in 

lawn if necessary 

5. Scout for chinch bugs in 

St. Augustine grass 

1. Plants cabbage seed, 

collard seeds, beet 

seed, broccoli seed, 

bush snap beans, 

Chinese cabbage, 

turnips, kale & mustard 

1. Continue to spray roses 

for insect & disease 

control at weekly 

intervals 


3. Stake dahlias 

4. Check marigolds for 

mites 

5. Renew mulches in 

flower beds 

6. Plant iris 

1. Prune out old fruiting 

canes in blackberries 

2. Fertilize peach trees 

3. Prune peach trees in 

August 

4. Continue disease 

spraying 


GARDENING CALENDAR, cont’d 

SEPTEMBER 

HOME 

1. Prune shrubbery for 

shape only. 

2. Plant camellia & 

southern magnolia 

seeds as their pods 

break open 

3. Begin gibing camellias 

in early September 

4. Soil test every 3 to 5 

years 

1. Fertilize monthly 

2. Check for insects 

3. Begin to acclimate 

outside plants for 

moving indoors in late 

September 

4. Repot overgrown 

houseplants 

1. Check lawns for disease 

2. Apply pre-emergence 

herbicide in late 

September 

3. Make LAST application 

of lawn fertilizer 

NO LATER THAN 

September 15th 

1. Continue planting Fall 

vegetables 

2. Store cabbage, onions, 

potatoes, etc., properly 

for over wintering 

3. Plant cover crop of rye 

on unused garden plots 

4. Soil Test every 3 to 5 

years 

1. Fertilize roses early in 

the month, this is the 

last application until 

spring 


day lilies and irises 

3. Start pansies and 

gloriosa daisy from 

seed 

4. Delay planting pansies 

outside until October 

1. Fertilize strawberries 

early in the month, 

Divide and reset plants 

2. Prune peaches and 

plums 


years 

OCTOBER 

1. Spray shrubbery to 

control tea scale with 

systemic insecticide 

2. Collect leaves for mulch 

3. Plant shrubbery and 

trees 


1. Plant rye grass as 

over seeding for 

lawns 

2. Soil Test and lime if 

required 

1. Soil test & lime if 

necessary 

2. Destroy old crops 

as soon as harvest 

is completed to help 

reduce establishment 

of future disease, insect 

and weed problems 

3. Spray cabbage, 

broccoli, cauliflower & 

collards with thuricide 

to control caterpillars 

4. Begin making a 

compost pile 


years 


day lilies and liriope 

2. Cut back faded annual 

flowers 

3. Plant Fall bulbs in late 

October 

4. Dig caladium tubers 

before frost 

5. Plant pansies, violas, 

ornamental cabbage 

& kale, at mid to late 

October 

1. Apply lime to fruit trees 

if needed 

2. Do NOT prune peach 

and plum trees 


years 


NOVEMBER 


trees 

2. Store fallen leaves for 

mulch 

3. Mulch shrubbery with 

fresh material 


years 


years 

2. Fertilize cool season 

grasses 

3. Spray wild onions and 

other winter weeds with 

appropriate herbicides 

1. Store recently dug 

caladium tubers in cool, 

dry place 

2. Plant spring flowering 

bulbs: hyacinths, 

daffodils, & crocus 

3. Plant pansies, violas, 

ornamental cabbage 

and kale 


2. Begin forcing bulbs 

for early winter 

indoor color 


years 

2. Clean garden area of 

weeds and dead crops 

3. Thin carrots, beets, 

rutabagas & radishes 

4. Inspect vegetables for 

aphids 


years 

2. Prune apple trees after 

all the leaves have fallen 

3. Do not prune peach 

trees 

4. Rake leaves from 

around fruit trees & 

compost or destroy 

HOME 

DECEMBER 


trees 

2. Renew mulch around 

shrubbery 


years 

1. Give plants as much 

light as possible 

2. Keep soil in holiday 

plants moist 

3. Increase humidity 

around plants by 

grouping or placing on 

trays of pebbles with 

water 

1. Continue to spray 

for winter weeds 

1. Make next year’s 

garden plan 

2. Continue to harvest 

Fall vegetables 

3. Till garden soil after 

crops die down 

remove debris from 

garden to prevent 

disease 

4. Apply organic matter 

to garden soils 

1. Continue winter clean 

up in flower beds 

2. Continue to plant spring 

flowering bulbs 

3. Mulch tender perennials 

to protect from frost 

4. Remove debris from 

beds to help prevent 

disease 



BY CAMPBELL VAUGHN 

HOME 

WHITE OAK (Quercus alba) – Long lived large tree. Beautiful 

bark and good fall color. Great shade tree. Will last many years. 

BLACK GUM (Nyssa sylvatica) – Medium sized tree that has fantastic 

fall color. 

DOGWOOD (Cornus florida) – White blooming in the spring, small to medium 

sized tree with great leaf fall color and pretty bright red berries. Locate where tree 

gets some afternoon shade. 

REDBUD (Cercis canadensis) – Lavender/pink blooming in the spring, small to 

medium sized tree with great yellow leaf fall color. Plant where tree gets some 

afternoon shade. 

GRANCY GREYBEARD (Chionanthus virginicus) – Fluffy white blooms in early 

spring. Leaves are lime yellow. 

SOUTHERN MAGNOLIA (Magnolia grandiflora) – Can get large. Big shiny leaves 

and great for screening. Beautiful large white fragrant flowers in early summer. 

Does great in full sun. 

EASTER RED CEDAR (Juniperus virginiana) – Olive green conifer that is well 

suited for sun and some shade. Great screening plant and tough. 

WAX MYRTLE (Myrica cerifera) – Large shrub to small tree. Tough native with 

elongated leaves and fast grower when established. 

BEAUTY BERRY (Callicarpa Americana) – Deciduous shrub with amazing pink/ 

purple berries in summer 

FOTHERGILLA (Fothergilla gardenia) – Deciduous shrub with cotton ball like 

blooms in the spring and one of the best fall color of all shrubs 


INKBERRY (Ilex glabra) – evergreen native shrub that will do well in massings. 

Part of the holly family 

YAUPON HOLLY (Ilex vomitora) – great native evergreen shrub. Does well in sun 

or shade. Different varieties for different growth habits. Small round shape, upright 

irregular and taller weeping form too. Awesome red berries as well. Birds love them. 

OAKLEAF HYDRANGEA (Hydrangea quercifolia) – great plant all around. Large 

white panicle flowers in early summer, course textured leaves, great fall color and 

exfoliating bark. Needs a little shade. Can reach 8-10ft tall. 

PINK MUHLY GRASS (Muhlenbergia capillaris) – mounding form reaching 3 ft in 

height. Awesome show of cotton candy looking pink blooms in the fall 

SWITCHGRASS (Panicum virgatum) – clumping form and vertical. Pale green leaf 

blades the turn tan in fall. Seed head are pronounced like a bloom and last well into 

winter for seasonal attraction. 

BLACK-EYED SUSAN (Rudbeckia fulgida) – herbaceous perennial with very 

showy round yellow flowers with black seed heads in the center of the flower. Great 

plant for pollinators. 

GOLDENROD (Solidago spp.) – Upright herbaceous perennial with showy yellow 

flowers late summer into early fall. Another great plant for wildlife. 

HOME 


BY GABBY BOARDMAN BENTON 

HOME 

BUYING A HOME IN AUGUSTA 

means more than it does in almost 

any other city in the country–a HUGE 

opportunity for a return on investment 

from an unexpected source–renting 

your home out for Masters. 

Masters rental rates are comparable 

to beach or mountain vacation rentals. 

In Georgia there is a tax perk, often 

referred to as the “Masters Provision” 

that allows Georgia residents to rent 

for up to 14 days without paying taxes 

on rental income. (IMPORTANT to note 

that the IRS requires all homeowners 

to be issued a 1099 for compliance.) 

Rental rates are primarily influenced by 

how a home is used. Several companies 

specialize in Masters rentals, and 

when we are looking for a house for 

our clients, we are able to narrow our 

search in half by simply asking what 

style our homeowners are looking for. 

Older and more traditional homes are, 

for the most part, found in the historical 

areas of Augusta proper, while gated 

communities and newer construction 

are generally found in Columbia and 

Aiken counties. 

Some homeowners may choose to go 

on vacation while others opt to stay 

in town with friends or family. All area 

schools are on spring break during 

Masters week, so planning for the 

family to be away is simple. 

Are you ready to take this on? There 

is much work to be done, items to be 

purchased, and the toughest part – 

having total strangers in your home 

for an extended stay. It is important to 

really consider this and how it impacts 

your family before deciding if it is right 

for you. 

A great benefit of Masters rental is the 

pressure and hard deadline to have 

your home looking its best. Your rental 

company should provide you with a 

detailed check list on their expectations, 

and when you’re finished you will 

understand that TRULY no one does 

Spring cleaning like an Augustan! 

Made Fore A Pro sets itself apart by 

focusing on a boutique experience 

with a specialization in the three miles 

of Berckmans Road. Our clients send 

us their requests and we match them 

to a home- we are the “matchmakers” 

of the Masters! There are many other 

great rental businesses in the area. 

We highly suggest listing with multiple 

companies as our marketing strategies 

appeal to different types of clients. 


FAMILY 


BY STUART RAYBURN 

MOVING TO A NEW CITY CAN BE DIFFICULT. There is so much 

to do - finding a place to live, hooking up utilities, getting acclimated in 

your new job and more. Then at night, when everything settles down, you may find 

yourself alone with little to do. If you are ready to get out there and meet some new 

friends, here are some helpful ideas to get you started. 

FAMILY 

THE MORE OF THE FOLLOWING THAT APPLY, THE BETTER: 

• It’s somewhere where the situation breaks the ice for people and naturally 

gives them reasons to talk to each other. 

• It allows you to reliably see the same people several times, so you have a 

chance to get comfortable with them and gradually get to know them. 

• It allows you to meet people who are similar to you, in terms of your hobbies 

and values. 

• It’s somewhere where there’s a core of regulars, but there are also new people 

to meet continually entering the mix. 

Don’t forget to bring your good attitude. One has to be open and nice. You want 

to encourage other people to want to be around you, so there is little room for 

negativity, being exclusive or stand-offish. Just relax, go with the flow, and enjoy 

yourself. 


Some ways to be relaxed and enjoy yourself are to find groups of people who like to 

do what you do. Try some of these ideas: 

Try Meetup.com. Our local group is 

amazing! 

A CONTINUING EDUCATION CLASS 

at Augusta University 

Visit ASL.com. It’s a local sports club 

that offers adult kickball and such. 

Find a favorite charity online and get 

involved. Check out a great list at 

volunteer-augusta.com/community 

Look up the Morris Museum of Art, 

Getrude Herbert, Augusta Museum of 

History, the Signal Corp Museum at Fort 

Gordon, the Laurel and Hardy Museum 

in Harlem. The talks are fascinating and 

the people are interesting. 

at the Augusta Sailing Club up at Clarks 

Hill (AKA “The Lake” or Lake Thurmond) 

Buy your books from David at the Book 

Tavern Downtown on Broad Street. He 

is a great conversationalist. Plus, it is a 

locally owned store in a cool part of town. 

at Daniel Field Airport. 

FAMILY 

There are many offerings in Greater 

Augusta, here are just a few suggestions: 

ART OR PHOTO CLASS at Gertrude 

Herbert Institute of Art 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CLASSES 

at the Jessye Norman School for the Arts 

CERAMICS CLASS at Tire City 

COOKING CLASS at Fireside Grills or 

Very Vera 

They run out of Andy Jordan’s Bicycle 

Center. 

Visit their website for more info if you 

like theatre and improv. 

There are lots of opportunities here if you 

are so inclined. 

The Color Run 2015, photo courtesy of the Westobou Festival 


FAMILY 


BY RICK BROWN AND MACKENZIE AINSWORTH 

CAREFREE TIME WITH A CHILD is one of life’s great joys. Mackenzie and I have 

been spending afternoons together for the past 10 years. Our criteria are simple 

enough: we have to both enjoy ourselves, it has to be convenient and it has to be 

free or cheap. Here are some reviews of our favorite places to go. 

FAMILY 

“ED RICE” PARK AKA CREIGHTON PARK 

North Augusta, SC 

RB: Adjacent to the Living History 

Park. Ed Rice, prominent painter, has his 

studio on Lucerne, overlooking the park, 

and my kids and I would stop to say “Hi” 

to him, so the kids began calling the park 

in his honor. It seems apt. 

MA: I love this park. There is a big 

playground there with lots of different 

things to do, and swings. And a tire 

swing. And picnic tables. When we 

were there alone, I used to imagine that 

the gym was a house. Sometimes I go 

there with my Dad and our dogs, too. I 

also love the Living History Park. There 

is all kinds of stuff to do there. The 

festivals are lots of fun. 

AUGUSTA COMMON 

Between Broad and Reynolds Streets, 

west of 8th Street 

RB: A wide-open green space, with 

lots of benches. An attractive and 

informational monument to city 

founder, James Oglethorpe sits in the 

middle. James Brown’s statue stands at 

the head of the park. 

MA: A Running Park. I play soccer 

and Frisbee there with my Uncle Isaac. 

And, afterward, we go to the Sprint 

Market for a drink! Also, I like to sit and 

read there sometimes. 


QUALITY TIME WITH YOUR KIDS, cont’d 

AUGUSTA RIVERFRONT PLAY AREA 

At the East end of the Riverwalk, next to the 

Marina, behind St. Paul’s Church, 6th Street 

MA: You can enjoy the river while you 

play on lots of playground equipment. 

And there are big stairs there to run up 

and down. 

RB: I sit and watch the river run. (“And 

we have just begun, watching the river 

run . . .”) 

NORTH AUGUSTA RIVERFRONT PARK 

West of Georgia Ave. 

South of Municipal Bldg. 

A great area, with assorted ponds. 

Good for running, playing with pets, 

or a contemplative time. 

APPLEBY BRANCH LIBRARY 

2260 Walton Way 

The Appleby is a smaller scale, 

extremely humane place. They have 

story hours, too. The building was 

built 1830 in the Greek Revival style, 

and one can’t help but feel at home in 

this place. 

MA: I love the Appleby. There’s a 

room just for kids, and you can even 

play in there. 

RB: I used to take my kids every 

week, so there is a bittersweetness 

to every visit. 

FAMILY 

GERTRUDE HERBERT 

INSTITUTE OF ART 

506 Telfair Street 

MAIN LIBRARY 

823 Telfair Street 

The library is very kid-friendly, with 

half of the first floor devoted to the 

Children’s Department. There are 

additional rooms for movies and other 

presentations, and the library keeps a 

full schedule. 

MA: It’s huge! Books and DVDs. 

Almost everything you could want to 

check out. But, my favorite thing is the 

bookstore at the front. They sell used 

books cheap. 

RB: The store is run on a volunteer 

basis by Friends of the Library. It is 

well-organized and has a full array of 

topics, including a glass case of books 

by local authors. 

Art classes for all ages. Fresh shows 

of regional artists in main gallery. 

LUCY CRAFT LANEY MUSEUM OF 

BLACK HISTORY 

1116 Phillips Street 

A small museum, with poignant 

displays of a pioneer educator 

and the noble perseverance of an 

oppressed people. 

MORRIS MUSEUM OF ART 

1 Tenth Street 

A nice collection, focused on artists 

with a connection to the South. Free 

admission on Sundays. 



HISTORICAL MUSEUM 

560 Reynolds Street 

A long-standing institution, with a 

growing professionalism concerning 

content and display. 

WOODROW WILSON BOYHOOD HOME 

419 Seventh Street 

One can get a lot of bang for thirty 

minutes of time. Not only Wilson’s home 

– but the offices of Historic Augusta are 

located next door, in the boyhood home 

of Joseph Lamar, a former justice of the 

Supreme Court. As children Wilson and 

Lamar played together. 

Spending quality time with your child 

will yield fruit for generations. When 

choosing what to do, that is a decision 

for each individual. Our experience is 

that in staying “close to home”, and 

thinking locally, we begin to weave the 

future of our community’s quilt. That 

we choose affordable, non-ceremonial, 

and individualistic options makes the 

whole experience more personal and 

more intimate. In the end, it is not 

what one chooses, so much as it is 

choosing to do it with mindfulness. 

Editors Note: For the full article and 

a more complete list of things to do 

with you kids, visit our website www. 

TheTheNewcomersGuide.com. 

FAMILY 


BY STUART RAYBURN 

Father of Will (9) and John Banks (6) 

FAMILY 

photo courtesy of Farmhaus Burger 

EATING WITH YOUR YOUNG 

ONES CAN BE A CHALLENGE AT 

TIMES. They can be picky, loud, 

irritated, irritating and down-right 

difficult. Taking them to a special 

place where they can be engaged 

is helpful when you have the time 

and inclination. Here are a few local 

places that my sons like, I hope your 

kids do too. 

For breakfast, the Sunrise Grill in 

North Augusta and Martinez offers 

a bright atmosphere with specialty 

pancakes that the kids love. Ruth’s 

on Washington Road serves a true 

country breakfast with delicious 

pancakes as well. They even have 

smoked sausage – that’s hard to find. 

Some great locally-owned places for 

lunch or dinner include Fat Man’s Mill 

Café (lunch only) at Enterprise Mill. 

When you are done there, you can 

go walk through the Canal Discovery 

Center next door or even take a 

Petersburg Boat tour down the canal. 

Downtown on Broad Street, Farm 

Haus Burgers has specialty burgers 

and shakes. Nacho Mamas is just 

down the road serving Tex-Mex in 

an eclectic environment. The cheese 

dip is a favorite. Ask them to chop 

up the chicken in the quesadilla 

extras fine for little ones – That 

quesadilla can feed 2 - 3 kids! We 

hear Twisted Burrito is good; they 

are a couple of locals and pretty new. 

They have a chalk board for kids 

to draw on. Brusters in the Target 

Shopping Center is good for hot dogs 

& icecream, and there’s one in Evans 

and North Augusta, too. 


For dinner, some of the area’s most 

special places include Sconyers 

Barbecue near Windsor Spring Road 

for the ambiance. You can feed the 

catfish outside. Old McDonalds Fish 

Camp outside of North Augusta ups the 

stakes with great fare and the ability 

to feed ducks, fish and goats while you 

wait. They serve up grits while you 

wait, too. Then there’s T’s restaurant, 

an old family favorite out on Mike 

Padgett Highway. Definitely worth the 

visit and a place your kids will like to go 

with the family. 

For dessert or a treat try The Pink 

Dipper in North Augusta. It’s an old 

fashioned ice cream shop that’s usually 

quiet and the service is slow but 

something about the ambiance and 

the old style malts and shakes is fun. 

Summerville Scoops in Daniel Village 

serves funky flavors of homemade 

gelato. The Boll Weevil has cake slices 

bigger than your kid’s head if you want 

quality and quantity. 

If corporate is your thing, then Red 

Robin in Evans is popular. Texas Road 

House off Washington Road has 

Kids nights on Tuesdays and they 

have tablets with games on them. 

Chick-Fil-A is right there too with a 

playground inside. 

Enjoy these selections and let us know 

what you think. Check out this article 

and others like it on our website, 

TheNewcomersGuide.com and let us know 

if you have any places that you like to 

take your kids in the comments section. 

FAMILY 

photos courtesy of Summerville Scoops and Nacho Mama’s, respectively 


FAMILY 



FAMILY

FOR PETS 

PET FRIENDLY PLACES 

BY ED PEDEN 

FAMILY 

LIVING IN GREATER AUGUSTA IS VERY REWARDING 

FOR PET LOVERS. From the horses of Aiken to the bird dogs 

of Waynesboro, we love our animals. Our area boasts numerous 

parks, hiking trails, restaurants and businesses for pets and their 

humans to socialize. Here are a few places we have found that are 

perfect for spending time with your best friend. 

In Aiken, sit outside and enjoy a pint at the Aiken Brew Pub or hitch up your horse 

outside the Pizza Joint. 

In Downtown Augusta, eat with your pet outside on a nice day at Nacho Mama’s, 

Whiskey Bar Kitchen, the Bees Knees, Mellow Mushroom or the Pizza Joint. 

Stillwater Tap Room and Metro are dog friendly inside and out. Walking your dog 

around Broad Street is a fun experience, just remember to clean up after them. 

On Saturdays, check out the Augusta Market on Riverwalk at 8th Street with your 

pet. It is an open air market with food, plants, great gifts and produce. You’ll love 

the casual atmosphere. 

Shopping with your pet is welcomed at downtown’s The Barkery, Artsy Me, and 

Gallery on the Row. Other Augusta area pet-friendly stores include Garden City 

Pet Store, Home Depot, Lowes, Tractor Supply and Cabelas. 

Finally, there are a few great parks for you to share with your animal and even a few 

dog parks where you can let your dog run free. Great places to walk your pet on a 

leash are the Augusta Canal Trail (either from the downtown or Columbia County 

entrances), the Greeneway and Riverfront Park in North Augusta, Lake Olmstead, 

and Riverwalk in Augusta. Pendleton King Park has a dog park that you can utilize, 

as does Evans Towne Center Park. It’s fun to visit even if you don’t have a dog. 

They are so much fun to watch running, playing and being free. 

CHECK OUT OUR DOG PARK MAP 

at TheNewcomersGuide.com. 

Hopefully, we have given you a few good ideas 

to start to get out with your pet. If you have any 

additions to our list, please email us and let us 

know info@TheNewcomersGuide.com, we may be 

able to include them on our next edition. Until then, 

have a joyful time with your sidekick, we’ll see you 

at the dog park! 



FAMILY

BY LORNA BARRETT 

Founder of That’s What Friends Are For 

LOSING A PET IS A DIFFICULT AND STRESSFUL CHALLENGE. 

If this happens to you, there are several things you can do to increase 

your chances of having a happy reunion. 

Often the person who finds your 

pet will drive around looking for their home. If you have a sign that tells that you lost your 

pet and has a photo or description and your phone number, you will be off to a great start. 

FAMILY 

your contact information. 

let you post them. 

of your flier, then go back every couple days. 

with your pet’s picture and 

and ask them if they will 

and tag animal welfare advocates to help share. 

in your county, & give them a copy 

There are a few things you can do 

to prepare for the eventuality that 

your pet may get loose. Keeping 

a collar on your pet with updated 

tags and contact information is a 

must. Micro-chipping your pet is a 

good way to ensure your pet will be 

returned to you. It is important to 

update your contact information if 

you microchip. 

Another good idea is to spay 

or neuter your pet to curb 

“wandering”, as well as preventing 

unwanted litters. 

Finally, make sure you have secure 

doors and fencing for outside to 

minimize risks. 

Today is a great day to work on 

these preventative measures. While 

you’re at it, give your fur baby a big 

hug and tell them you love them. 

You’ll both be glad you did! 



FAMILY

FAMILY 


COMMUNITY 

COMMUNITY 


BY TAMMY SHEPHERD 

COMMUNITY 

AS THE 28TH FASTEST GROWING 

COUNTY IN THE UNITED STATES, 

Columbia County is constantly on 

the move, and the Columbia County 

Chamber of Commerce is keeping right 

on pace. The Chamber was established 

in 2005 and serves over 1,000 

members in the Greater Augusta area. 

Over the past year we have become 

one of the fastest growing Chambers 

in the country. 

With significant growth also comes 

the need to accommodate that growth; 

whether it’s new housing, new schools 

or new roads. The Chamber works 

closely with local governments to keep 

our members informed and engaged in 

our ever-growing community. 

A few of the on-going projects 

currently in our area are: 

EXPANSION OF RIVERWATCH 

PARKWAY from Baston Road to the 

heart of Evans; 

FOUR LANE WIDENING OF FURY’S 

FERRY ROAD to the South Carolina 

state line; 

FOUR LANE WIDENING OF 

LEWISTON ROAD AND HORIZON 

SOUTH PARKWAY; and expansion of 

Robinson Ave and Wrightsboro Road 

in Grovetown; 

WIDENING OF FLOWING WELLS 

ROAD in Martinez. 

Whether you are currently operating 

a business in Columbia County, are 

looking to locate or develop a small 

business in the County, or want to 

become more involved in one of the 

fastest growing and most beautiful 

counties in the southeast, the Columbia 

County Chamber is here to serve you! 

The Columbia County Chamber office 

is located at 1000 Business Boulevard 

in Evans, Georgia (behind the Bank of 

America on Ronald Reagan Drive). 

Visit us today at 

columbiacountychamber.com. 



COMMUNITY

photo courtesy of Fort Gordon Command Information 

HISTORY OF FORT GORDON 

COMMUNITY 

CAMP GORDON, NAMED FOR 

CONFEDERATE LIEUTENANT 

GENERAL JOHN BROWN GORDON, 

WAS ACTIVATED FOR INFANTRY 

AND ARMOR TRAINING DURING 

WORLD WAR II. 

During the war, its 55,000 acres served 

as a divisional training base for the 4th 

and 26th Infantry Division and the 10th 

Armored Division that fought in Europe in 

General George S. Patton’s Third Army. 

After World War II, more than 85,000 

officers and enlisted personnel were 

discharged from Camp Gordon’s Army 

Personnel Center. Other facilities 

included a U.S. Disciplinary Barracks 

and, beginning in 1943, a prisoner of 

war camp for German and Italian World 

War II captives. 

Nearly deserted after June 1948, 

Camp Gordon came back to life 

in September 1948 with the 

establishment of the Signal Corps 

Training Center. The post’s training 

mission grew with the addition of the 

Military Police School in September 

1948 and the activation of the 

Engineer Aviation Unit Training Center 

in early 1949 (which remained at 

Camp Gordon for only one year). 

The Korean conflict again placed 

Camp Gordon center stage in 

preparing soldiers for combat. In 

addition to communications personnel 

at the Signal Training Center’s Signal 

Corps Replacement Training Center 

and Signal Unit Training Group, 


Military Police trained for combat 

assignments, while the 51st Anti- 

Aircraft Artillery Brigade formed three 

detachments before moving to Camp 

Stewart, Ga. In 1950, the installation 

became the site for Military 

Government Training for the Army. 

Also during the decade, Camp 

Gordon was home to the only Army 

Criminal Investigation Laboratory in 

the continental United States as well 

as a Rehabilitation Training Center 

and a U.S. Disciplinary Barracks. In 

1953, the Basic Replacement Training 

Center and the Advanced Leader’s 

School provided basic training and 

advanced leadership training (both 

were inactivated in 1955). The Civil 

Affairs School arrived in 1955 as 

part of the Civil Affairs and Military 

Government School. Camp Gordon, 

becoming a permanent Army 

installation on March 21, 1956, was 

renamed Fort Gordon. 

Gordon, the Army consolidated all 

communications training at Fort Gordon 

in 1974. The arrival of the Army’s 

Computer Science School was only 

part of the reason for the fort’s growth 

during the 1980s. 

The following decade found its 

Mobilization Command deploying 

numerous troops to Southwest Asia 

during Operation Desert Shield-Desert 

Storm, Fort Gordon figures prominently 

in the post-Cold War national defense. 

Still the “Home of the Signal Regiment,” 

it also supports the 35th Signal 

Brigade, 513th Military Intelligence 

Brigade, the National Security Agency/ 

Central Security Service Georgia and 

the 7th Signal Command. 

The U.S. Army Training Center was 

activated here in 1957. During the 

Vietnam War, infantry, military police 

and signal soldiers trained at Fort 

Gordon. While Signal Corps training 

continued to expand throughout the 

1960s, other activities ceased through 

postwar deactivations and the 

Military Police School’s move to Fort 

McClellan, Alabama. 

COMMUNITY 

In June 1962, all activities of the 

Signal Corps Training Center 

were reorganized under the U.S. 

Army Southeastern Signal School. 

Designating the installation the 

U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort 


FORT GORDON, cont’d 

FORT GORDON ONLINE RESOURCES 

COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDE: fortgordon.army.mil 

FAMILY, FINANCIAL & EMPLOYMENT: fortgordon.com/programs/community/acs 

FORT GORDON YOUTH, COMMUNITY, 

DINING, LEISURE & SPORTS: fortgordon.com 

EVENTS CALENDAR: fortgordon.com/events 

DWIGHT D EISENHOWER ARMY MEDICAL CENTER: ddamc.amedd.army.mil 

WELCOME GUIDE TO FORT GORDON: mybaseguide.com/army/7/fort_gordon 

FORT GORDON GLOBE (LATEST NEWS): fortgordonglobe.com 

FORT GORDON EMERGENCY AND HOTLINE SERVICES 

COMMUNITY 

POLICE, FIRE OR EMERGENCY MEDICAL 911 

MILITARY POLICE DESK (ON BASE) 706.791.4537 

FT GORDON CHAPLAIN 706.791.5653 

FT GORDON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE 706.791.7867 

FT GORDON DDEAMC EMERGENCY ROOM 706.787.2264 

MILITARY CRISIS LINE (24 HRS) 

1.800.TALK 

VETERANS CRISIS LINE 1.800.273.8255, press 1 

veteranscrisisline.net 

FT GORDON VETERINARY FACILITY 706.787.3815/7375 

WOUNDED SOLDIER & FAMILY HOTLINE (24 HRS) 1.800.984.8523 

FORT GORDON GENERAL INFORMATION 

POST INFORMATION 706.791.0110 

ACTIVE DUTY AND FAMILY ASSISTANCE 706.791.3579 

COMMISSARY 706.791.3718 

MAIN EXCHANGE (PX) 706.791.7171 

CHILD, YOUTH & SCHOOL SERVICES 706.791.6494 

CHILD SUPPORT ASSISTANCE 706.721.6989 

FAMILY CHILD CARE 706.791.3993 

SCHOOL LIAISON SERVICES 706.791.4168 

ARMY WELLNESS CENTER 706.787.6756 



COMMUNITY

BY STEVEN UHLES 

COMMUNITY 

AUGUSTA IS, IN MANY WAYS, LIKE ANY OTHER CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. 

The things we want, the things we look for, the things that feel familiar to us – 

they are all available. The Greater Augusta Area is as franchised and chained as 

any city of its size and stature. But fret not. There are certain things only available 

here and only available to those in know. Here’s a short list of some of the 

Augusta-centric treats available locally. . 

land of thee t-shirts 

Local creative agency Kruhu started a little 

side business a couple of years ago printing 

up Augusta-centric t-shirts. The smart, stylish 

and often slyly funny shirts are made for – and 

in – Augusta and have proven pretty popular. 

wifesaver banana pudding 

Although better known for its fried chicken, this Augusta-only restaurant is also 

celebrated by those in the know for its distinctive take on this traditional southern 

dessert. Like the kid in the ad says – Don’t forget the ‘nana puddin’. 


erkshire guitars 

This small shop’s near-magical mastery of 

even the most difficult guitar repairs might 

keep the doors open, but their custom 

constructions are also more than worthy of 

investigation. Producing the kind of quality 

instruments that usually cost far more, 

Berkshire is quickly becoming 

a favorite among discerning local musicians. 

photo courtesy of Berkshire Guitars 

buona caffe 

This is not convenience store coffee, grabbed quickly and downed between 

stoplights on the way to work. Buona Caffe beans demand a certain respect and 

level of ritual. For those that know how a bean is meant to be treated, stopping into 

this small coffee shop means waiting patiently while a custom cup is slow dripped. 

But it’s worth it. Well worth it. 

masters merch 

While that brand new hat or shirt still requires scoring a ticket in April, Augusta 

enjoys a glut of vintage golf items year-round. Almost any antique mall will have a 

booth that features old badges, vintage hats and dozens of dated plastic cups that 

once held fairway beverages. 

sunrise grill sweet potato pancakes 

There’s no secret ingredient – 

it’s right there in the name. But this breakfast meal–fine and filling and subtly sweet– 

certainly seems to transcend its name. Don’t forget the house-brewed cinnamon 

cream syrup, made especially for this Sunrise special. It’s a perfect pairing. 

COMMUNITY 

happy buttons 

Augusta artist Leonard ‘Porkchop’ 

Zimmerman will send a sticker emblazoned 

with his Happy robot to anyone that sends 

a self-addressed stamped envelope. The 

buttons, however, are a little bit different. 

Those can only be procured at downtown 

bars, restaurants and galleries or, if you can 

catch him, from the artist himself. 

photo courtesy of Leonard Zimmerman 


ONLY IN AUGUSTA, cont’d 

flowing wells water Although once reputed to have healing powers, 

the water that comes from a tap built into a small concrete bunker by the side of 

Wrightsboro Road isn’t magic. It’s just really, really good. Drawn from an aquifer, 

the spring water is crisp clean, and, like the best things in life, free. 

frog hollow mac and cheese This fine dining establishment’s deepand-decadent 

take on the childhood classic isn’t always on the seasonallydriven 

menu, so be prepared to indulge when it is. So much cheese. So many 

layers of pasta. So good. 

fuse pork belly pincho A sophisticated dining gem with a casual 

atmosphere, Fuse offers up two huge slices of pork belly over fresh-made toast 

points topped with bourbon-infused Carolina gold sauce and just a hint of 

pecan. Ask them to pair it with one of their special craft beers. 

COMMUNITY 


paul pearman belt buckles 

Paul Pearman follows two simple rules 

when producing his much-in-demand 

mosaic art. It must be functional and 

it must be beautiful. By far his most 

popular work are belt buckles encrusted 

in polished stone, colored glass and 

occasionally the odd fossil. They have 

proven popular not only with local 

collectors, but the like of Keith Richards 

and Sheryl Crow as well. 

t’s restaurant hushpuppies The hushpuppy is not, in itself, that exotic. 

But if this simple corn fritter has a spiritual home, it is probably the Southside 

mainstay T’s. Yes, the fried fish and shrimp is pretty incredible, but mention this 

restaurant to any of its fans and the first thing mentioned will be those pups. 

kricket krap Around here, gardeners-in-the-know look one place for fertilizer 

– crickets. More specifically, they look to Kricket Krap – a locally sourced cricket 

compost. Founded by Bill Bricker, Bricker Organics – or Bricko for short – produces 

a variety of compost, plant food and fertilizer products. Still, it’s a cottage industry 

built on the foundation of Kricket Krap. 

tire city potters Local artist Shishir Chokshi has managed to make what 

was once a small studio tucked into an old tire store – hence the name – off Broad 

Street into a destination for collectors seeking locally produced art. Not only will 

patrons find hand-thrown cups, vases and plates available for per-piece purchase, 

but Chokshi will takes custom orders for dinnerware sets. 

COMMUNITY 

disc golf Everyone knows Augusta is a golf 

mecca. What kind of golf depends on who you 

ask. The headquarters for the Professional Disc 

Golf Association is located in the quiet community 

of Appling – just a short drive down Washington 

Road from the Augusta National. The venue 

features three courses, a practice facility, museum 

and, if you want to dress – or throw – like a pro, 

they can hook you up there as well. 


BY MATT PORTER 

Arts Advocate 

Photo courtesy of Phillip Douglas 

COMMUNITY 

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 

OPTIONS ABOUND IN OUR AREA. 

The real question for someone wanting 

to find something to do around town 

is “where to start?” From museums 

to galleries, festivals to films, there’s 

probably something for everyone. 

Downtown Augusta has a rich history 

of entertainment reflected in some 

magnificent theatres on Broad St. 

That’s where you’ll find the Imperial 

Theater, showing everything from local 

stage productions to great regional 

bluegrass, rock, or soul concerts. If a 

little improv or maybe an edgier original 

play is more your speed, local black box 

theatre Le Chat Noir is always doing 

something unique. 

Families love spending time at the 

Augusta Canal Discovery Center at 

Enterprise Mill and taking a tour on one 

of their electric Petersburg boats. You 

can’t go wrong visiting the Augusta 

Museum of History. I love their James 

Brown exhibit, but with their vast 

collection, there’s surely something 

for everyone there. Our town even 

hosts the Boyhood Home of President 

Woodrow Wilson, built in 1859. The 

site is maintained as a historic home you 

can tour Thursdays through Saturdays. 

The Morris Museum of Art has a 

permanent collection spanning 

antebellum portraits to contemporary 

works. Located on the Riverwalk, the 

museum features extensive programing 

for families, aspiring artists and art 

lovers of all stripes. I’d also recommend 

visiting the Gertrude Herbert Institute 

of Art for workshops or to take in a 

rotating exhibition. Tire City Potters 

have kept the fire burning downtown 

for years - check out one of their 

kiln openings for first crack at some 

beautiful handmade ceramics or visit 

their gallery space, open daily. 


Mixed in with small locally owned 

restaurants and specialty stores you 

can also find a number of little galleries 

focusing on painting, sculpture, jewelry, 

and gifts. There’s a homegrown quality 

to a lot of downtown’s independent 

businesses and the personality and 

creativity of their owners is half the 

fun. A fresh food and juice bar doubles 

as an art gallery and meeting space at 

the Humanitree House on 8th St. and 

at Sweet Sticks Skateboard Shop on 

Broad St. you’ll find the owners screen 

printing original designs on sweatshirts 

and offering kids discounts for good 

report cards. 

Augusta also hosts enough festivals, 

outdoor concert series, and sporting 

activities to keep your calendar pretty 

full just about all year long. While tourists 

and locals alike take part in watching 

the internationally known Masters Golf 

Tournament. The first week in April also 

offers exclusive acts during the Major 

Rager, Rock for Dough, or Partee on 

the Green. In September downtown 

transforms for the Arts in the Heart 

festival, where arts vendors and crafts 

people from all over the South East set up 

shop alongside foods stalls from almost 

every country imaginable. A relative 

newcomer, the annual Westobou festival 

brings contemporary art, music, and films 

to the Garden City and is not to be missed. 

As you can tell, there’s no shortage of 

things to do. I recommend getting out 

there, getting involved, and having 

some fun! 

COMMUNITY 


BY TRIPP BOWDEN 

an insider’s guide 

TO THE ULTIMATE MASTERS EXPERIENCE 

First, let me say welcome to Augusta! We are so glad you are here. 

COMMUNITY 

My name is Tripp, and I pretty much grew up at Augusta National, home of the 

Masters, and have spent many of my days behind the scenes on those hallowed 

grounds. If you are fortunate enough to have tickets in hand, be they practice 

rounds or daily badges, then here are a few MUST DOs that will make your Masters 

experience as unforgettable as your wedding day, the birth of your first child, the 

memory of your first kiss. This is my 40th Masters in a row, and I can’t wait to share 

my inside nuggets of navigation with you. I wish I could be there with you as your 

tour guide, but since I can’t, these little tidbits should suffice, at least I hope so. 

Might I recommend taking this Newcomer’s Guide with you when you go? 

If so, let’s rock and roll. No one knows the Nash like I do! 

1. LET’S START WITH THE BASICS, beginning just a little inside the gates of 

Augusta, 101. Leave your cell phone and anything electronic back at the house 

before you even think about walking out the door of wherever you are staying. 

They won’t tell you to turn it off. They won’t confiscate it. They won’t hold it for 

you. They will send you back to the car (or to the corner of Wicklow and Heath), 

and that is a Walk of Shame you do not want to take. Likewise, no cameras of any 

kind are allowed, except during the practice rounds. Also, if you have golf shoes, 

wear ‘em. The hills and slopes at Augusta are slicker than a used car salesman if 

you catch ‘em before the sun burns off the dew! 


2. DON’T BE A ROOKIE AND ENTER THROUGH THE MAIN GATE, which is Gate 6, 

near Washington Road. Yes, there is the new state-of-the-art practice facility along 

the entry way—and it’s unlike any other practice facility in the world. It is also the 

reason the main entrance off Washington Road is no longer open to the public. That 

new facility is over 20 million dollars worth of grass and trees and sand, and since 

most golf courses don’t cost half that to build, it’s definitely worth a look. Heck, it’s 

worth two looks. But go back later to check out this 8th wonder of the world, and 

when you do, notice the greens the players are hitting into. They are exact replicas 

of the ones on the course! This is a wonderful, and I mean a wonderful place to 

watch the players hone their game. But, believe it or not, it is only used twice a year: 

the Members’ Jamboree—aka the Opening Party—and The Masters. How wild is 

that? I also like to spend time on the East Practice Tee, opposite the old practice 

area to the right of Magnolia Lane, to watch the players work on their short game. 

It’s seldom crowded, as most folks don’t know it is even there. 

3. I WANT YOU TO ENTER MY FAVORITE GATE, which is gate 9. Might I suggest 

going with Uber, having your driver drop you off at the corner of Wicklow and 

Heath, walk 50 short yards to the stop sign on Berkmans Road, take a left, follow 

the sidewalk to the tunnel, and keep walking until you are at the entrance of the 

course, where they will scan your ticket. Have it in your hand, smile and say “yes 

ma’am” and “yes sir.” Then pin it back on your button hole on your shirt, pullover 

or belt loop. If you plan on leaving Augusta National with a souvenir or two (and 

I reckon you are) I highly suggest shopping early. As I imagine you’ve heard, they 

sell stuff out of those pro shops so fast you’d think it had the word FREE written 

on it! Well guess what? This gate 9 opens up to, in my mind, the best outdoor pro 

shop on the course. And if you’re looking for a certain item but don’t see it, ask 

an employee with one of those dangling ear piece “thingys.” They look like secret 

service men. He’s 

your connection to 

every pro shop on the 

course, and there’s 

a good chance he 

can find what you’re 

looking for, if it’s not 

already sold out. Don’t 

hesitate to ask; they 

are nice as they can 

be. But of course… 

they’re southerners. 

COMMUNITY 


MAKING THE MOST OF MASTERS WEEK, cont’d 

4. AFTER YOU’VE SPENT YOUR MORTGAGE ON SHIRTS AND HATS, make sure 

you check your goodies at the check-stand just to the right of the pro shop. You 

don’t want to lug all that stuff around the golf course. And if you want to ship it 

home, they can make that happen. Trust me, that Bobby Jones mercerized cotton 

golf shirt and Tervis Tumbler is a lot heavier than it looks, especially when you’re 

trying to navigate four beers and a BBQ sandwich! 

5. WHICH BRINGS ME TO PERHAPS MY FAVORITE MASTERS TRADITION: 

THE FOOD. But before we get into one of my favorite subjects, I want to point out 

that the main concession stand (the one that sits about a hundred yards to the right 

of the main scoreboard) now sits where the original caddy house used to be. 

6. BACK TO THE FOOD, IN PARTICULAR THE EGG SALAD SANDWICHES on 

squishy white bread. Unless you’re a vegan, you must eat at least one of the following: 

EGG SALAD SANDWICH PIMENTO CHEESE SANDWICH 

BBQ HAM ON RYE 

BBQ POTATO CHIPS—NOT PLAIN. BBQ. 

When you get your bag of chips, note the Masters logo on the front and then flip it 

over. Note the Cape Cod logo. Lays used to be the chip of choice, but they wouldn’t 

agree to let Augusta put the Masters logo on their bag. So bye-bye Lays. As for the 

beer, well, there’s no such thing as a bad beer. At Augusta, the only bad thing about 

the beer is they stop selling ‘em at 4 o’clock. And when they say 4 they mean 4. If 

you get in the beer line at 4:01 you’re walking out with lemonade. 

COMMUNITY 


7. NOW, BACK TO THE GOLF COURSE. Make sure you grab a pairing sheet. Matter 

of fact, grab two ‘cause you’re gonna lose one. They’ll be in the little green boxes as 

soon as you walk in, and also near the main scoreboard, which is where I’m taking you 

next. The pairing sheets will tell you who’s playing with whom and when. On the back 

is a neat little map of the course that will help you navigate your way around. Also, 

make sure you stop at the little green booth where they hand out the programs— 

they’re free. These are great for getting interesting information and tidbits on each 

player—how they qualified for the Masters, where they’re from, etc., as well as a few 

history lessons on the tournament. Or as we say in the South, the “Toonament.” 

8. THE LAST THING I WANT YOU TO DO before you leave the course is spend a 

moment or two at the Main Scoreboard, the one at the jut of the hill on Number 1. 

It’s the oldest of its kind, and the last remaining manual scoreboard in the Majors. 

How cool is that? If you look up top, you’ll see flags representing all the different 

countries where all the players are from. It’s amazing how diverse the Masters field 

truly is. I think it is a beautiful thing. 

Walk the first hole. 

Walk the course backwards, 

starting on 18. This way you can truly 

appreciate how darn hilly Augusta 

National really is. But before you do 

that, take the short jaunt up the hill 

from the scoreboard to the pro shop. 

Note the Bobby Jones sundial. That’s 

where Legendary Caddy Master 

Freddie Bennett drove # 2 green, 

wearing bedroom slippers, of all 

things! (It’s in my book Freddie & Me. 

Chapter 7: Magic from the Bobby Jones 

Sundial.) Ask the guard if you can touch 

it. She or he will say yes. 

The back of Number 2 tee is a great, 

and I mean a great place to 

You’ll need to go 

down from 1 green, maybe 100 yards 

to the cross walk and then walk back 

up and around, but it’s not that far and 

totally worth it. You’ll be as close to the 

players as you are to this glossy sheet 

of paper. 

There is a new concession stand 

just opposite this cross walk, and it’s 

off the beaten path, so the lines are 

shorter. These new concession stands 

are referred to as non-permanent 

permanent structures, and cost 

$250,000 each! Yowza! There’s a 

nice bathroom as well—heck, all the 

bathrooms at Augusta are nice, and 

the lines are shorter there, too. I highly 

recommend stopping here to 

COMMUNITY 


MAKING THE MOST OF MASTERS WEEK, cont’d 

The grandstand to the right of 5 green 

delivers 

and is the perfect spot for 

watching players hit their approach 

shots, pitch shots, bunker shots, and roll 

the flat stack. Five green is a great place 

to take it all in. 

The fairly new tee box on 7 is an 

absolutely awesome place to see your 

favorite player crack one down the 

middle. You can get almost as close as 

you can on 2 tee, as few people know 

it’s back there and it’s never crowded. 

My favorite place of all to 

My all-time place to take someone who 

wants to see their favorite players up 

close and personal has to be the 11th 

tee. It’s to the left of 10 green, down a 

short hill, never crowded, and there’s 

almost always a delay in the action, 

8-10 minutes or so; it’s the 

You’ll be 

so close to the players here you’ll feel 

like you’re in the same group with ‘em! 

Of course, 

if only for the sake of tradition. It’s 

always crowded as a WHO concert, 

but certainly worth the trip. I’ve got a 

little Amen Corner story for you I’d like 

to share, so remind me of that, should 

we get the chance to meet. The Indian 

burial ground stories are true. 

COMMUNITY 

at least for the WOW 

factor of it all, is #8. The snap of the 

swing, the crack of the ball, to watch it 

arc into the sky like a diver and bound 

down the fairway, ready to go for the 

green in two. And to know that you will 

never, ever, not in a million years, hit a 

golf shot even remotely close to what 

you just witnessed. It’s humbling, in an 

oddly gratifying way. Eight tee box is 

also the best place to say, “Hey, let’s 

meet up here!” in case you get lost or 

separated from your buddies or family, 

because it’s very open and everybody 

can see everybody. It’s also close to a 

concessions stand and bathroom. 

Speaking of the chance of a 

lifetime– which is what this is for 

you–if I were you, I wouldn’t leave 

the course until they kick you out, 

which will be around 8:00 P.M. 

even 

after all the players have left the course. 

I love Masters Week. More than my 

birthday, more than Christmas. 

Long and the short, 

Take 

these tidbits and make it your own, my 

friends. I would love to be a fly on the 

wall for your ride home, and I would love 

to hear your story of your experience at 

Augusta, should you be fortunate to get 

there. You can find me at trippster@ 

comcast.net. Holler! 


BRING THIS AD TO ONE OF 

OUR 10 LOCATIONS FOR 

A DAY GUEST PASS! 

(Good for one visit) 

The Y is more than a place to work out. 

It’s where you can find your inner strength and come 

together as a family and as a community. We’re so much 

more than a gym, try one of our 10 locations today! 

COMMUNITY 


BY NEIL GORDON 

Publisher, Buzz on Biz 

photo by Melissa Gordon 

IF YOU ARE NEW TO THE CSRA (Central Savannah River Area) or are moving 

within the region, I hope you visit the renaissance on Broad Street, thanks to the 

passion and investment of many business owners and real estate developers. 

COMMUNITY 

Our business publication has closely 

followed the growth since the beginning 

of 2017. By 2018, downtown Augusta 

will feature new restaurants, retail 

options and the building of three new 

hotels to provide beds and meeting 

space for the influx of new business 

coming to Augusta. 

Sparking the onslaught of new 

development was the announcement 

in early 2017 of an investment by the 

State of Georgia and Augusta University 

into a $50 million cyber training center 

to be built at the Augusta Riverfront 

Campus at the site of the closed Golf 

and Gardens. 

“Cybersecurity is especially important 

now that cybercrime is bigger than 

the global black market for marijuana, 

cocaine and heroin combined,” Deal said 

at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s 

annual Eggs and Issues breakfast. 

Sometime in 2018 the campus will be 

complete. 

Our managing editor Amanda King 

walked up and down Broad Street and 

found developers willing to re-invest— 

including the Usry family, known for its 

“Fat Man’s” brand of shopping decades 

ago to its modern day Fat Man’s Café 

and Catering in re-developed Enterprise 

Mill—just a mile from the heart of 

downtown Augusta. 

“Since 1948, we’ve been committed 

to downtown Augusta,” said VP 

of Operations and Development, 

Havird Usry. “I think this just furthers 

our commitment to the growth and 

progression of downtown.” 

The family purchased the buildings at 

1006 and 1008 Broad Street, he told 

King. The 1008 property has been 


leased to New York High Style for the 

last 38 years. The men’s clothing store 

will continue business, although Usry 

plans to renovate 1006 Broad and bring 

up it up to code and move New York 

High Style to that location. 

expected to bring in spectators to the 

1200 seat venue in late 2017- like moths 

to a flame of art and culture. 

The 1008 property will then be 

renovated for a restaurant that will be 

owned and operated by Usry and his 

father, Brad Usry. 

“It’s completely out of the box,” he said. 

Another prominent restauteur, Sean 

Wight is set to open his 4th downtown 

Augusta restaurant in 2017—a Mexican 

eatery at 12th and Ellis streets. Wight 

also runs Farmhaus, Craft and Vine, 

and Frog Hollow Tavern, three unique 

restaurants. 

Usry said. “It all starts with bars and 

restaurants. Once you bring in the 

hospitality, that’s when you bring in the 

retail and residential.” 

In addition to the retail and restaurant 

space that Usry purchased, the chef 

also purchased the 3,000-square-foot, 

three-bedroom apartment above the 

adjacent spaces. He’ll renovate and offer 

two smaller spaces for rent. 

Downtown Augusta business owner 

Fred Daitch re-invested about 

$200,000 in renovating the Whistle 

Stop Café across the street from the 

Augusta Municipal Building on Greene 

Street. He found an accomplished chef, 

Liz Sanderson to lease the building. Her 

Olde Town Diner is open weekdays for 

breakfast until dinner and 24 hours a 

day all weekend. 

Broad Street’s bustling crowd needs a 

place to relax after hours of enjoying live 

music, street entertainment, art galleries 

and the many venues of concerts and 

plays Downtown Augusta has to offer. 

One project that will help is the $23 

million restoration of the Miller Theater. 

That project, now under the watchful 

eye of Symphony Orchestra Augusta, is 

Down the street, the Marion Building 

was under contract and is expected to 

serve as residential space. 

The centrally located JB White Building 

at 9th and Broad was 80 percent 

occupied in early 2017, with many floor 

plans completely sold out. At press 

time, the building still had one- and 

two-bedroom apartments available, 

ideal for single residents or small 

families who wish to live downtown 

and walk to venues. 

An area of 5th and Reynolds is 

supposed to be the next hotbed for 

downtown living space for the growing 

Millenial population. 

If you’re new to the CSRA, discover 

downtown Augusta. If it’s been awhile 

re-discover it. You’ll be glad you did. 

COMMUNITY 


COMMUNITY 


BY REBECCA ROGERS 

Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Augusta Canal Discovery Center 

I WOULDN’T BLAME NEWCOMERS FOR THINKING AUGUSTA HAS A BIT 

OF AN IDENTITY CRISIS. Just what, exactly, do we call ourselves around here? 

Is it Augusta, Greater Augusta, Augusta-Richmond County, or, that mouthful of 

dissonant consonants and vowels, the CSRA? 

So here’s an explainer for both newbies and townies: 

The original colonial town founded in 1736 by Englishman James 

Oglethorpe. Named for a European princess who never set foot in Georgia. 

In 1995 Augusta and the county of Richmond 

consolidated as one government. There’s still some confusion about what to call 

it, though. We’re protected by the Richmond County Sheriff, our fires are doused 

by Augusta-Richmond Fire Rescue trucks, and we are governed by Augusta 

Commissioners. And, just to keep it interesting, there are two little towns - Blythe 

and Hephzbah- that didn’t join the party and consolidate with the rest of the 

county. 

An old nickname for Augusta, dating to the days when wellto-do 

Northerners vacationed in town and built homes with resplendent gardens, 

some of which can still be seen in the area called the Hill or Summerville. 

or Central Savannah River Area: Back in 1950 the city paper threw a 

contest to come up with a regional handle. And the winner was…drumroll, please… 

The Central Savannah River Area, which was almost immediately reduced to the 

sibilant set of syllables, the C.S.R.A. Catchy, ain’t it? Recently there’s been a push 

to start using “Augusta’s River Region” instead. This hasn’t caught on, but we can 

hope. 

Columbia is the second largest county in the CSRA (and 

gaining fast) Today it’s primarily a bedroom community where most of its residents 

earn their livings in nearby Augusta (or Augusta-Richmond County, if you please), 

Fort Gordon, or the Savannah River Site. 

COMMUNITY 

Not an official place, it’s an area generally referred to as south 

of Augusta’s Gordon Highway. Recent rebranding effort underway to label it as 

SOGO, as in South of Gordon. 

A real place. And not in Augusta, or even in Georgia. North 

Augusta, South Carolina is just across the Savannah River from downtown 

Augusta, located in Aiken County. It is it’s own town, with a mayor and all of that. 

But, whatever you choose to call our region, we’re glad you’ve decided to call it 

home. 


COMMUNITY 


HACK AUGUSTA 

BY GRACE BELANGIA and ERIC PARKER 

IF THERE’S ONE THING MOST PEOPLE THINK ABOUT when they imagine 

Augusta, it’s probably hacking their way around the back 9 of an azalea lined course and 

heading into the clubhouse to enjoy some libations and soak in a beautiful spring day. 

What they may not realize is the amazing growth the city’s technology sector has seen 

over the last 5-10 years. The growth of US Army Cyber Command and NSA Georgia 

at Ft. Gordon, along with the continued expansion of health technologies at Augusta 

University, and Energy & Environmental Research at Savannah River National Lab have 

formed the building blocks to merge southern hospitality and collaborative innovation. 

Aside from the golf course, 

these days you’re as likely 

to find folks hacking code 

and building startups in one 

of the many coffee shops 

around town, or taking it to 

the next level at theClubhou. 

se the Augusta community’s 

collaborative incubator. In 

it’s fifth year downtown, 

theClubhou.se is the place 

where entrepreneurs, 

techies, and the creative 

class meet. Newcomers can 

show off their chops at a 

hackathon, or try learning 

new skills through meetups 

such as PyAugusta or 3D 

Printing Club. Entrepreneurs 

meet each other and find 

mentors & structure through 

weekly Founders Circles and 

monthly Lunch & Learns. 

And of course, libations 

flow monthly at Beer & 

Bytes where the community 

gathers to network and learn 

what is the next BIG thing 

to be made in Augusta. 

In the Old Academy of 

Richmond County building, 

theClubhou.se operates a 

co-working space, where 

members have access to 

a desk, wifi, free coffee, 

meeting space, and mail 

service. Members also have 

access to a full makerspace 

where they can learn how 

to use laser cutters, 3D 

printers, CNC routers, and 

more to help tinker on new 

ideas and build prototypes. 

Classes and bootcamps 

are available in coding, 

fabrication, and business. For 

those ideas that are really 

taking off, private office 

space is available as well. 

Startup resources don’t 

end there. A few blocks 

over in the mills district, 

the UGA Small Business 

Development Center offers 

coaching and business 

plan assistance for small 

businesses at no charge. 

Once startups have figured 

out how to solve a business 

problem, they can make a 

short trek across the river 

to visit Central Savannah 

River Angels. As part of the 

Venture South network, 

CSR Angels provide angel 

investment opportunities 

to help startups scale their 

business to the next level. 

Any mention of technology 

in Augusta would be 

incomplete without including 

the Information Systems 

Security Association’s 

Greater Augusta Chapter. 

The group meets monthly 

at Augusta University and 

is responsible for organizing 

the annual cyber security 

conference, BSidesAugusta. 

SO, WELCOME TO TOWN. 

THERE’RE NO EXCUSES. 

COMMUNITY 


BY RANDY DUTEAU 

COMMUNITY 

WITH AN ABUNDANCE 

OF NATURAL RESOURCES, 

Columbia County, Augusta’s neighbor 

to the west, is an outstanding local 

destination for outdoor recreation. 

Positioned along the shores of the 

71,000-acre Clark’s Hill Lake, and 

bordered by the Savannah River and 

Augusta Canal, the community is a 

favored destination for myriad sports 

enthusiasts. Including its excellent 

park system, miles of biking and hiking 

trails, and waterways for paddle 

sports, Columbia County is a wellrounded 

outdoor sports location. 

One of the county’s most popular parks 

is WILDWOOD PARK in Appling. 

The nearly thousand acre facility on 

Clark’s Hill Lake appeals to a diverse 

array of outdoor enthusiasts. With 

“mega” boat ramps, a fish cleaning 

station, and a large parking area 

designed for boat trailers, Wildwood 

Park is one of the most popular 

destinations in the southeast for 

fishing. It is also the reason why 

numerous fishing organizations like 

to host their tournaments there. 

Wildwood Park is also home to the 

International Disc Golf Center. This 


unique facility is widely considered 

Mecca for the disc golf community. 

The IDGC features three 18-basket 

championship courses, a pro 

shop, and a museum dedicated 

to the history of the sport. 

Mountain biking, hiking, and trail running 

are also very popular in Columbia 

County. The BARTRAM TRAIL, a 

well-groomed trail with stunning views 

of Clark’s Hill Lake, is regularly teeming 

with two-wheeled and two-footed 

aficionados seeking an aerobic fix. The 

intermediate-level trail offers several 

access points allowing users to go for a 

quick jaunt or take in a day’s adventure. 

The most popular stretch of trail is the 

15.5 mile segment between the US 

Army Corps’ West Dam Recreation Area 

and Wildwood Park. More advanced 

riders will also enjoy the KEG CREEK 

TRAIL located across Washington 

Road from Wildwood Park and also the 

trails at MISTLETOE STATE PARK 

with its challenging climbs, creek 

crossings, and “rooty,” rocky terrain. 

All the action, however, is not confined 

to the rural area. BLANCHARD 

WOODS PARK in Columbia County’s 

town center of Evans offers great 

appeal to the “extreme” athlete. The 

county opened a new BMX track and 

skateboard park next to the park’s 

soccer stadium in March 2015. The 

two facilities have proven quite 

popular with athletes young and old. 

COMMUNITY 


GET ACTIVE OUTSIDE, cont’d 

The cross country running trails around 

the park are also a heavily used asset for 

the fitness set. 

Kayaking is also quite popular in 

Columbia County. Paddlers are regularly 

seen floating down the AUGUSTA 

CANAL from SAVANNAH RAPIDS 

PARK in Martinez or along B E T T Y ’ S 

BRANCH, a tributary that feeds into the 

Savannah River. Every April nearly a 

thousand paddlers converge on 

Riverside Park in Evans for the six-mile 

paddle along Betty’s Branch for the 

Benderdinker Paddle and Food Festival. 

While appreciation for Columbia 

County’s great amenities is not lost on 

the locals, the venues have also gotten 

great national acclaim. In recent years, 

Columbia County has hosted the 

NCAA DII Soccer Championships, the 

AAU Cross Country National 

Championships, and the USA Cycling 

Marathon Mountain Bike National 

Championships. The 2016 US 

Adventure Race Nationals were 

hosted here and more high profile 

events are on the horizon. Our locals 

consider themselves fortunate to have 

such great diverse recreational 

offerings just a short drive from home. 

This is a welcoming community of 

great people who love to share all we 

have to offer. 

COMMUNITY 


BY ROB PAVEY 

OUTDOOR-MINDED AUGUSTANS 

are blessed with an abundance of public 

hunting lands that include a quarter 

of a million acres on both sides of the 

Savannah River. 

Most sites are within an hour’s drive from 

downtown and require little more than a 

hunting license and wildlife management 

area permits available through the Georgia 

or South Carolina departments of natural 

resources. 

Georgia’s whitetail herd, estimated at 

more than 1 million animals, allows a 

lengthy season with designated periods 

for archers, black powder fans and 

those who prefer conventional firearms. 

The state’s generous 12-deer bag limit 

includes opportunities for two bucks (of 

which at least one must have four or more 

points on one side). 

Almost as popular are the spring seasons 

for Georgia’s wild turkey gobblers, which 

are abundant on most public lands open 

to hunting. 

If you’re after a trophy buck, your best 

bet on public land might be Di-Lane 

Plantation in Burke County, an 8,100- 

acre preserve, formerly a private quail 

plantation, that operates under a strict 

management program. 

Di-Lane was part of the empire of 

the late Henry Berol, heir to the Eagle 

Pencil Company. The Georgia Field 

Trials gained national prominence on 

the plantation Mr. Berol named for his 

daughters, Diane and Elaine. 

The plantation was purchased in 1992 

by the Corps of Engineers as a public 

wildlife area managed by Georgia DNR. 

Not far from Di-Lane is another, much 

smaller wildlife management area– 

called the Alexander Tract–open for 

bowhunting only. 

Closer to downtown Augusta is the 

1,500-acre Phinizy Swamp Wildlife 

Management Area, purchased by the 

Department of Transportation decades 

ago as part of the Bobby Jones 

Expressway extension. 

Although open only for bowhunting, 

the dense cover, rich food supply and 

light hunting pressure offer big buck 

potential for archers willing to brave 

the snakes and mosquitoes and mud. 

It also has a reputation as one of the 

best public waterfowl hunting spots. 

One of the largest WMAs on the 

Georgia side is Tuckahoe, located in 

Screven County, that includes with 

more than 15,000 acres of dense 

swamps, upland pines and other 

types of terrain. In addition to fat 

whitetails, the area also has feral hogs. 

COMMUNITY 


HUNTING AROUND AUGUSTA, cont’d 

The Yuchi WMA, barely 30 minutes from 

downtown and located in Burke County, 

also offers quality deer and small game 

hunting, and has a rifle range and other 

facilities. 

The Army Corps of Engineers, which 

operates Thurmond Lake, allows hunting 

on much of its “collarlands” that include 

several large parcels. One of them, 

Bussey Point Wilderness Area in Lincoln 

County, produces some quality bucks 

almost every year. 

In South Carolina, more than 140,000 

acres of public lands are available in 

McCormick, Edgefield, Abbeville and 

Saluda counties, much of which lies in the 

state’s Western Piedmont Hunt Unit. 

Many parcels are part of Sumter National 

Forest and are managed both for timber 

production and wildlife. 

Georgia also has an alligator season, 

created in 2003, that has become both 

popular and highly competitive. 

PUBLIC HUNTING LANDS 

(WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS) 

NEAR AUGUSTA: 

georgia: 

ALEXANDER TRACT WMA 

in Burke County, 1,300 acres 

BROAD RIVER WMA 

near Lincolnton, 1,500 acres 

CLARKS HILL WMA 

near Thomson-Appling, 12,703 acres 

DI-LANE PLANTATION 

near Waynesboro, 8,100 acres 

GERMANY CREEK WMA 

near Thomson, 1,200 acres 

KEG CREEK WMA 

near Appling, 800 acres 

PHINIZY SWAMP WMA 

Augusta, 1,500 acres 

SOAP CREEK WMA 


FISHING CREEK 


COMMUNITY 

The inaugural season offered just 184 

permits, drawn by lottery, and yielded 

just 72 gators. 

Since then, the quota has been raised to 

850 permits, but there are typically more 

than 11,000 applicants. The counties 

south of Augusta in the Savannah River 

area are included in those hunts, with an 

allocation of 80 permits. 

For more information on Georgia hunting 

opportunities, visit www.georgiawildlife. 

com/hunting and South Carolina details 

are available at www.dnr.sc.gov/ 

hunting.html. 

TUCKAHOE WMA 

near Sylvania, 15,105 acres 

WILKES COUNTY WMA 

near Washington, 1,910 acres 

YUCHI WMA 

near Waynesboro, 7,800 acres 

south carolina: 

CRACKERNECK WMA 

Aiken County, 10,012 acres 

WESTERN PIEDMONT HUNT UNIT 

Edgefield, McCormick, Greenwood, 

Saluda and Abbeville counties, 

140,000 acres 


BY JAY JACOBS 

AS A NATIVE AUGUSTAN, I FEEL 

VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE GROWN 

UP IN AN AREA THAT AFFORDS 

ANGLERS A RICH AND DIVERSE 

ARRAY OF WATERS AND SPECIES. 

To categorize these waters simply, 

there are three distinct choices of 

places to fish: the lake, the river, and a 

multitude of private and public ponds. 

Our lake (referred to as Clarks Hill by 

Georgians and Thurmond Lake by 

South Carolinians) is a 71,535 acre 

reservoir created in 1954 twenty-two 

miles north of Augusta. This fishery 

has played host to numerous B.A.S.S. 

tournaments and has a healthy 

population of Striped Bass, Crappie, 

Bream, Catfish and many more species 

in addition to the Largemouth. 

Below the reservoir’s J. Strom Thurmond 

dam is the Savannah River. This diverse 

waterway, on the geological fall line, 

marks the state borders of South 

Carolina and Georgia. There are surfaced 

boat landings below the dam in both 

states and further down river at North 

Augusta and New Savannah Bluff Lock 

and Dam. These open water areas are 

great places to catch Bass, Bream, Perch, 

Striped Bass, and Hybrids. The middle 

stretch of the river around I-20 is a rocky 

shoals area with a small category 2 

section of whitewater and a wide 

selection of Bass including 

Largemouth, Smallmouth, Red Eye, 

Shoal, and the Bartram, a subspecies 

of the Red Eye found only in the 

Savannah and Saluda Rivers. 

For the less adventurous angler the 

Merryland Brickyard Ponds have a 

selection of 21 public ponds- complete 

with bait shop and some advice on 

which pond is best suited for catching 

a particular species. These ponds, 

which are conveniently located just 

outside downtown are also “pay-tofish” 

so no state license is necessary. 

COMMUNITY 

So whether you are fly fishing 

Smallmouth at the Shoals, trolling 

Winter Striped Bass on the lake, or 

spending a lazy summer afternoon 

with a cane pole at the Brick Ponds, 

I hope you enjoy and explore all that 

fishing in Augusta has to offer. 


COMMUNITY 



COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY 


PREFERRED VENDORS LIST 

The listed vendors are some of the best to be found in Greater Augusta. We highly 

recommend the work of these companies and the fine local people who bring their 

exceptional service to you. If you have any comments, let us know. If you have any 

questions, please ask – even if you need a referral to a business that is not listed here, 

I’ll bet we know someone good! Likewise, if you would like to apply to be included on 

this list, please email us at INFO@THENEWCOMERSGUIDE.COM. 

BUSINESS TO BUSINESS 

BUZZ ON BIZ 

NEWCOMERS 


OUTDOOR 

BILLBOARD GURU 

SAND BAR – KAYAKING 

BOWMAN, GA 

TheSandBarBroadRiver.com 

JOSUE GARCIA 

jgcpallc.com 

JESSE NORMAN SCHOOL OF THE ARTS 

JesseNormanSchool.org 

AUGUSTA REGIONAL 

flyags.com 

DANIEL FIELD 

augustaaviation.com 

ALEXANDER PLACE APARTMENTS 

alexanderplaceapts.com 

ANNABERG APARTMENTS 

annabergapartments.com 

ARBORSIDE APARTMENTS 

arborsideapts.com 

AVALON APARTMENTS 

avalonaugusta.com 

BROOKWOOD LANDINGS TOWNHOMES 

colliermgmt.com 

CEDAR GROVE 


CHARLESTOWNE SOUTH APARTMENTS 


FOREST HILLS RACQUET CLUB 

APARTMENTS 

foresthillsracquetclub.com 

HELENA SPRINGS APARTMENTS 

helenasprings.com 

HIGHBORNE APARTMENTS 

highborneapts.com 

HUNTERS RUN 


PARKER PLACE APARTMENTS 

parkerplaceaugusta.com 


COMMUNITY

PREFERRED VENDORS, cont’d 

COMMUNITY 

PETERSBURG PLACE 


PETERSBURG SQUARE APARTMENTS 

sanctuaryaugusta.com 

SANCTUARY APARTMENTS 

sanctuaryaugusta.com 

STERLINGTON APARTMENTS 

sterlingtonapts.com 

THE PRESERVE AT LONGPOINT 

APARTMENTS 

preserveatlongpoint.com 

THE TOWNHOMES AT SANCTUARY 

townhomesatsanctuary.com 

VINTAGE CREEK APARTMENTS 

vintagecreekapts.com 

WHEELER WOODS APARTMENTS 

wheelerwoods.com 

WYLDS WOODS 


GERTRUDE HERBERT INSTITUTE OF ART 

GHIA.org 



GREATER AUGUSTA ARTS COUNCIL 

AugustaArts.com 

MORRIS MUSEUM OF ART 

TheMorris.org 

WESTOBOU GALLERY 

WestobouFestival.com 

THE CHOP SHOP 

ANDY JORDAN’S 

BICYCLE WAREHOUSE 

AndyJordans.com 

BOOK TAVERN 

BookTavern.com 

COLLIER MANAGEMENT 



GHIA.org 

HAYDEN’S GYMNASTICS 

haydensgym.com 



THE FAMILY Y 

TheFamilyY.org 

DAZZLING CAR CARE 

DOWNTOWN AUGUSTA 

706.627.0371 

BOLL WEEVIL 

TheBollWeevil.com 

SUNSHINE BAKERY 

706.724.2302 

FAT MAN’S MILL CAFÉ 

THE PARTRIDGE INN 

TIN LIZZY’S 

TinLizzysCantina.com 

ARTSY ME 


ArtsyMeStudio.com 

TIRE CITY POTTERS 


706.294.3871 


FURMAN JEWELERS 


706.722.2932 

GREATER AUGUSTA ARTS COUNCIL 

AugustaArts.com 

WESTOBOU 

WestobouFestival.com 

NEW MOON 

DOWNTOWN AIKEN & AUGUSTA 

NewMoonCafes.com 

NewMoonDowntown.com 

VINTAGE OOOLLEE 

706.724.2591 

ANDY JORDAN’S 

BICYCLE WAREHOUSE 

AndyJordans.com 

HAYDEN’S GYMNASTICS 

haydensgym.com 

THE FAMILY Y 

TheFamilyY.org 

THE WALKING MAP 

TheWalkingMap.com 

WELFARE & RECREATION 

fortgordon.com 

AUGUSTA FOOD TOURS 

AugustaFoodTours.com 

AUGUSTA GREEN JACKETS 

706.736.7889 

GARDEN CITY JAZZ 

GardenCityJazz.com 

IMPERIAL THEATRE 

ImperialTheatre.com 


TheNewcomersGuide.com 

CASELLA EYE CENTER DOWNTOWN 

CasellaEyeCenter.com 

ART ON BROAD 

artonbroad.net 

HANG UPS 

706.733.7952 

ART ON BROAD 

artonbroad.net 

ARTSY ME DOWNTOWN AUGUSTA 


BOOK TAVERN 

DOWNTOWN 

BookTavern.com 


DOWNTOWN 

706.294.3871 

COMMUNITY 


TheNewcomersGuide.com 

THE RIVER CLUB 

NORTH AUGUSTA, SC 

RiverGolfClub.com 

HOME 2 SUITES BY HILTON 

GROVETOWN 

Home2Suites.com 

SIG COX 

SigCox.com 


PREFERRED VENDORS, cont’d 

AIKEN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTERS 

AikenRegional.com 

FIRESIDE KITCHENS & MORE 

FireSideOutdoorKitchens.com 

AUGUSTA MARRIOTT 

Marriott.com 

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS 

HolidayInnExpress.com/AugustaDtwnGa 

HOME 2 SUITES BY HILTON 

Home2Suites.com 


curiocollection3.hilton.com 

ARTISTIC KITCHENS 

ArtisticKitchensDesign.com 

DECORATORS OUTLET 

DecoratorsOutlet.com 

HUMANITREE HOUSE 

HumanitreeHouse.com 

AMERICAN PEST CONTROL 

AmPest.com 

BROAD STREET BARKERY 

BroadStreetBarkery.com 

GRACED ANIMAL SERVICES 

GracedKennels.com 

PARADISE KENNELS 

ParadiseKennelsga.com 

GARDEN CITY PET 

GardenCityPet.com 

MELLOW MUSHROOM 

MellowMushroom.com 

PIZZA JOINT 

ThePizzaJoint.Net 

COMMUNITY 

ARTSY ME 



GHIA.org 


706.294.3871 

UNIVERSAL PLUMBING 

UniversalPlumbingInc.com 

MOD INK 

ModInkTees.com 

ABOVE & BEYOND LAWN CARE 

202.203.9101 

FINE LINES LANDSCAPING, LLC 

706.220.2381 

AUGUSTA CANAL DISCOVERY CENTER 

augustacanal.com 


GHIA.org 

BROKERS 

MEYBOHM REALTORS 

Meybohm.com 

REAL ESTATE AGENTS 

MALY ROBERTS 

706.945.3905 

SALLIE SHUFORD WEST 

804.928.1562 

INVESTMENT SERVICES 




MEYBOHM REALTORS 

Meybohm.com 

TIN LIZZY’S 

TinLizzysCantina.com 

WHISKEY BAR KITCHEN 

WhiskeyBarKitchen.com 



MALY ROBERTS 

706.945.3905 

AUGUSTA UNIVERSITY 

Augusta.edu/choice 

AUGUSTINO’S 

Augustinos.net 

BEAMIE’S 

706.724.6593 

THE BEES KNEES 

BeesKneesTapas.com 

BOLL WEEVIL 

TheBollWeevil.com 

CRAFT & VINE 

CraftAndVine.com 

FROG HOLLOW 

FrogHollowTavern.com 

FUSE 

Fuse-Augusta.com 

HILDEBRANDT’S 

DasDeli.us 

HIVE 

HiveAugusta.com 

HUMANITREE HOUSE 

HumanitreeHouse.com 

MELLOW MUSHROOM 

AIKEN, EVANS & AUGUSTA 

MellowMushroom.com 

NACHO MAMAS 

NachoMamasAugusta.com 



PIZZA JOINT 

AIKEN, EVANS & AUGUSTA 

ThePizzaJoint.net 

SUNSHINE BAKERY 

706.724.2302 

BRANDON WILDE 

BrandonWilde.com 

AUGUSTA GREEN JACKETS 

706.736.7889 

THE CLUBHOU.SE 

TheCluhou.se 

IMPERIAL THEATRE 

imperialtheatre.com 

AUGUSTA CANAL BOAT TOURS 

AugustaCanal.com 

AUGUSTA FOOD TOURS 

AugustaFOODTOURS.COM 

FAT MAN’S MILL CAFÉ & CATERING 

FatMans.com 

GARDEN CITY JAZZ 

GardenCityJazz.com 



COMMUNITY 


OUR CONTRIBUTORS 

Thank you to our contributors for their work in making this issue of The Newcomers Guide possible. 

If you have a story idea or are interested in working on The Newcomers Guide team, 

contact us via email at INFO@THENEWCOMERSGUIDE.COM. 

MACKENZIE AINSWORTH is a sixthgrader 

at North Augusta Elementary. Her 

short piece on urban life was published 

in North Augusta Today. Her granddad is 

contributor, Rick Brown. 

GRACE BELANGIA co-founded the nonprofit 

HACK Augusta which manages 

theClubhou.se, an innovation development 

organization. She is the organizer 

for TEDxAugusta and helps produce 

hackathons and events for the technology 

and maker community. She also mentors 

early stage entrepreneurs and serves on 

the boards of many area non-profits. 

LORNA BARRETT is an animal lover and 

has always felt the need to do whatever 

she could to improve conditions for 

animals. Having been a co-owner of 

the popular neighborhood restaurant 

Villiage Deli in Summerville with her 

best friend and husband, Les, for over 

26 years, she feels fortunate enough to 

have developed good relationships with 

a wide circle of people, most of whom 

share that love for their four legged 

companions. 

GABBY BOARDMAN BENTON is a lifelong 

Augustan who founded Made Fore a Pro, a 

Masters Housing Rental Business that has 

experienced much success. Her love for 

Augusta has led to a strong involvement in 

the community, including serving as a board 

member of the Augusta Training Shop, the 

Morris Museum of Art’s Gala board, and the 

Wilson Family Y. Gabby’s greatest joys are 

her two children. 


TRIPP BOWDEN is a former Augusta 

National Caddy, collegiate golfer and alum 

of Augusta University. He has been a copy 

writer, first with McCann Erickson New York 

and later with his own company, Creative 

Wizards. Tripp is a frequent speaker at 

prominent golf clubs across America and 

beyond. He lives with his wife and children 

in Augusta, Georgia. 

RANDY DUTEAU is the VP of Strategy 

and Development for Due North Sports 

Partners. He served as the Executive 

Director of the Columbia County 

Convention and Visitors Bureau from 

2012-2016. The married father of two is 

a passionate road cyclist and mountain 

biker who is regularly seen on the roads 

and trails around Columbia County. 

RICK BROWN is an author and local real 

estate agent who lives in downtown Augusta. 

His work has appeared in New York Magazine 

and Garden and Gun, among others. 

NEIL GORDON is publisher of the 

Buzz on Biz, a brand dedicated to 

sharing the growth of business in the 

CSRA. To learn more, visit buzzon.biz. 

DR. LEE ANN CALDWELL is a Professor of 

History, the Director of the Center for the 

Study of Georgia History, and University 

Historian-in-Residence at Augusta 

University. She is on the editorial board 

of the Georgia Historical Quarterly. She is 

currently the co-editor of the Journal of the 

Georgia Association of Historians. In 2008 

she received the Governor’s Award in the 

Humanities. 

JAY JACOBS is a prolific freelance artist 

and fisherman who grew up fishing and 

exploring the shoals and rapids of the 

Savannah River. 


OUR CONTRIBUTORS, cont’d 

MEGAN MOYE is the Director 

of Marketing & Digital Media for 

Meybohm Realtors. Megan grew up 

and has lived in the Augusta area for 

practically her whole life. In her free 

time, you can find Megan enjoying 

running and biking on the canal, 

enjoying concerts and festivals 

with her family, and dining at local 

establishments! 

PATRICK O’CONNOR is the Marketing Director 

for The Newcomers Guide and the developer 

behind our website. Patrick grew up in the 

Augusta area and is a proud graduate of Augusta 

University. When he isn’t out networking or 

behind a computer, you can find him hosting 

events, DJing weddings and exploring our city 

with his equally talented wife, Kelly. 

ERIC PARKER is one of the leading Innovation 

Architects in the nation, and co-founder and 

Chairman of Hack Augusta/theClubhou.se, 

a non-profit community innovation center 

responsible for helping thousands of people 

learn skills and start new businesses. Eric has 

helped develop over $100m in workplace 

strategy, construction, and technology projects. 

SID MULLISS recently retired from 

the Georgia Extension Service in 

Augusta for after 31 years. He 

holds a masters degree in Public 

Administration from Brenau 

University. Sid writes a weekly 

garden column for the Augusta 

Chronicle, writes for Augusta 

Magazine and Georgia Gardening 

Magazine, and co-hosts a Saturday 

morning radio show on WGAC. 

ROB PAVEY is the outdoors columnist for The 

Augusta Chronicle. Before his semi-retirement 

in 2013, he was a full-time writer and reporter 

for 31 years, covering energy, nuclear issues 

and the environment. He is an avid angler and 


hunter, a graduate of the University of 

South Carolina College of Journalism and 

author of two books on antique fishing 

tackle. He lives in Evans. 

ED PEDEN is a native of Spartanburg, 

South Carolina. He graduated from 

Abilene Christian University in Texas 

with a degree in wildlife biology. He 

moved to Augusta in 1998 to work 

with Savannah River Site and Fort 

Gordon as a wildlife biologist. 

MATT PORTER is a museum 

educator, music writer, DJ and arts 

advocate from Oshawa, Ontario. 

He’s been calling Augusta home 

for the last seven years and is 

constantly inspired by the creative 

people he shares this city with. 

SARAH PACETTI is an Art Director for 

the Newcomers Guide. She teaches 

photojournalism at the Jessye Norman 

School for the Arts, and is the cofounder 

and lead concept artist at the 

Augusta-born game company Codex 

Games. She is a SCAD graduate who is 

currently living in Summerville with her 

best friend and husband, a handful of 

cats, and hundreds of plants. 

STUART RAYBURN is an 

experienced entrepreneur. 

Having founded, grown and sold 

the CSRA Business Monthly, 

Summerville Maids, and GloTech 

Janitorial Services. He is currently 

the CEO of Business Cultivator, 

LLC, which holds The Newcomers 

Guide, MAP Guru and Billboard 

Guru. Stuart serves on many local 

boards and has helped establish a 

few non profits. 


OUR CONTRIBUTORS, cont’d 

REBECCA ROGERS has called the 

Augusta’s River Region (a.k.a. the CSRA, 

a.k.a. the Garden City) home since 1979. 

She’s worked in communications for an 

array of non-profit and governmental 

outfits, most recently the Augusta Canal 

National Heritage Area. 

STEVEN UHLES has more than 20 

years experience as a journalist, 

copywriter, creative director, marketing 

specialist and critic. Steven has called 

Augusta home since 1980. His local 

arts column – Pop Rocks – has run in 

the Augusta Chronicle for more than 

15 years. He lives in Columbia County 

with his wife and two children. 

TAMMY SHEPARD started with the 

Columbia County Chamber of Commerce 

in 2008 as the Director of Programs and 

was promoted to the Vice President of 

Business Development in 2009. In 2010, 

she became the president & CEO. 

CAMPBELL VAUGHN graduated from 

UGA with a degree in Agriculture and 

Landscape Architecture. He is currently 

the UGA Agriculture and Natural Resource 

Agent for Augusta-Richmond County. 

EVE ESTROFF TURNER is the General 

Manager at Decorators Outlet and 

brings decades of retail and design 

experience from both the national and 

international stage. Ms. Turner moved 

to Augusta in 2015 to be closer to her 

family and has found a renewed passion 

for designing and renovating homes, and 

helping others bring their visions to life. 

SALLIE WEST, born and raised in 

Augusta’s own Summerville neighborhood, 

knows what classic southern hospitality 

means. West has built close bonds with 

local leaders, and through her experience 

in local arts and tourism, has become 

an expert on all things Augusta.

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