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MICHAEL HOLAHAN/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE |
Augusta's Southern hospitality is evident from the temperate climate to the year-round greenery that reminds residents and visitors of Augusta's designation as the Garden City.
With nearly half a million residents, Augusta has a variety of amenities, including an active arts community and a number of fine restaurants.
The area also has few of the traffic snarls that plague many metropolitan areas.
According to the magazine Where to Retire, Augusta is ranked No. 4 among the nation's low-cost cities for retirement.
This is partially based on the area's low cost of living and proximity to a respected health community.
In addition to affordable housing, Augusta offers retirees a beautiful, historic city with a diverse culture, vibrant arts community and mild climate.
These are only some of the reasons that more than 16,000 family members of Fort Gordon retirees call Augusta home.
There are also more than 40 retirement communities and assisted living and nursing home facilities in Augusta and Columbia County.
Augusta has always been committed to its residents' safety and well-being.
The Richmond County Sheriff's Office is manned by more than 270 officers.
The crime rate has decreased by 25 percent since 1996.
The 1998 crime rate per 100,000 residents for violent crimes was at 492 and the property crime rate was at 798 per 100,000 residents.
The Augusta-Richmond County Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency service from 19 stations around the city.
The department is staffed by 309 full-time firefighters and handles more than 7,000 calls annually.
The Augusta-Richmond County emergency transport system provides advanced life support services with state-of-the-art emergency medical equipment and professional paramedic staffing.
Augusta also has several professional sports teams, including the Augusta Lynx - East Coast Hockey League - affiliated with NHL's Phoenix Coyotes, and the Augusta GreenJackets - Minor-league (Single A) baseball team - affiliated with the Boston Red Sox.
Augusta is also the proud host each spring to the Masters Tournament, golf's most prestigious event.
Since 1934, the golf course designed by Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts has awed spectators for one week each April with its lush lawns and brilliant foliage.
The area boasts nine private and 14 public golf courses.
Water recreation is also prominent.
Thurmond Lake is the one of the largest man-made lakes east of the Mississippi River, with a 1,200-mile shoreline that is longer than the U.S. eastern seaboard.
Several state parks dot the area, including Elijah Clark and Mistletoe state parks. There are more than 57 local parks, eight public swimming pools, 14 health clubs and 60 tennis courts.
Other venues include:
AMUSEMENT PLACES
Funsville
Krystal River Water Park
Putt-Putt Golf & Games
Red Wing Rollerway (roller skating)
Ice Palace (ice skating)
Northside Lanes (bowling)
ARTISTIC VENUES
Augusta Symphony (Ranked No. 1 in the state by the Georgia Arts Council)
Augusta Ballet
Augusta Opera
Augusta Mini Theatre
Augusta Choral Society
Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre
Augusta Collegium Museum
Augusta Theatre Company
Storyland Theatre
Augusta Children's Choral
Augusta Jazz Project
Augusta State University Fine Arts Department
Paine College Evening of Jazz
Paine College Fine Arts Department
Augusta Players
Stage III Productions
PERFORMING CENTERS
Grover C. Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre
Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center
Fort Gordon Dinner Theatre
William B. Bell Memorial Auditorium
Jessye Norman Amphitheater
Sacred Heart Cultural Center
Imperial Theatre
Augusta Technical Institute Theatre
MUSEUMS
Morris Museum of Art
National Science Center's Fort Discovery
Augusta Museum of History
Cotton Exchange Welcome Center Museum
Lucy Craft Laney Museum
Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art
CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
Augusta Genealogical Society
Authors Club of Augusta
Barbershop Chorus
Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art
Greater Augusta Arts Council
Harry Jacobs Chamber Music Society
Historic Augusta Incorporated
Richmond County Historical Society
Sand Hills Writers Conference
Sweet Adelines
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