Beech Island, South Carolina
Beech Island is a community of 1,578 people in Aiken County, South Carolina.
Why visit Beech Island
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 1 place to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Sand Bar Ferry Bridge, Oakland Plantation and Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 94°F; January lows average 35°F.
Weather in Beech Island
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Beech Island
Beech Island is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. It was first listed as a CDP in the 2020 census with a population of 1,421.
From the Wikipedia article Beech Island, South Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Sand Bar Ferry Bridge
Bridge · 1.5 mi
Bridge in United States of America
Museums and landmarks5
Oakland Plantation
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Aiken County, South Carolina
Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Human settlement in South Carolina, United States of America
The Cedars
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
House in Beech Island, South Carolina
Zubly Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
United States historic place
Beech Island Historical Society
Museum
Organization in South Carolina, US
Restaurants and cafes1
McDonald's
Fast food · Burger
1721 Sand Bar Ferry Road
Mo-Th 04:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 04:00-24:00; Su 06:00-23:00
Churches and places of worship4
Silver Bluff Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.3 mi
Church building in South Carolina, United States of America
History
According to tradition, the community was first named "Beech Highland" on account of its lofty elevation, and over time the H was dropped, causing the present name to be adopted.
Beech Island was primarily an agricultural community before the 1950s. Cotton, wheat, corn, and soybean were the major crops. This changed with the construction of Urquhart Station Power Station and the nearby Savannah River Nuclear Project. New highways were built to accommodate the workers commuting to the Nuclear Project. Commerce grew and the community began to change. In the 1960s Kimberly-Clark built a large manufacturing facility on what was once farmland, creating more jobs. The boom, however, was short-lived.
Beech Island's most famous resident was James Brown, who lived there for the last few decades of his life on a 60-acre (24 ha) estate. Brown is buried in a crypt on a family member's property in Beech Island.
The Cedars, Fort Moore-Savano Town Site, Redcliffe Plantation State Historic Site, Oakland Plantation, and Zubly Cemetery are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Beech Island is also home to most of the television transmitters that serve the media market of Augusta, Georgia.
From the History section of Beech Island, South Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Walker Traditional Elementary School
School · 6.0 mi
1301 Wrightsboro Rd, Augusta
Map of Beech Island
25 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 60°F | 35°F | 3.8 in | 0.4 in |
| Feb | 64°F | 38°F | 3.7 in | 0.3 in |
| Mar | 71°F | 44°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 78°F | 51°F | 2.9 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 86°F | 60°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 91°F | 68°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 94°F | 72°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 93°F | 71°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 88°F | 65°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 79°F | 53°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 69°F | 42°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 62°F | 37°F | 3.9 in | 0.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Augusta Bush Fld Ap 72218 (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Aiken County has had 22 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-29: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-05: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2023-08-31: Hurricane Idalia (Hurricane)
- 2022-11-21: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Augusta Regional Airport (AGS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- North Augusta 8 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- Augusta-Richmond County 11 mi west, about 18 min by car
- Aiken 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
- Martinez 14 mi northwest, about 22 min by car
- Hephzibah 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
- Evans 17 mi northwest, about 28 min by car
- Grovetown 18 mi west, about 30 min by car
- Waynesboro 24 mi south, about 39 min by car
- Harlem 25 mi west, about 39 min by car
- Barnwell 33 mi southeast, about 53 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Zubly Cemetery, Bill Fitzpatrick, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Oakland Plantation, Bill Fitzpatrick, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Redcliffe, Bill Fitzpatrick, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The Cedars, Bill Fitzpatrick, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.