Aurora, Colorado


Aurora is located in north-central Colorado and is the third largest city in the U.S. State of Colorado. Aurora is a business leader in key growth industries including biotechnology, aerospace and high technology. The school districts are among the best in the State. The city has award-winning public parks and recreational facilities.



To See And To Do In Aurora


  • Golfing - Aurora has 7 golf courses throughout the city
  • Aurora History Museum
  • Cherry Creek State Park
  • Plains Conservation Center


History Of Aurora - Timeline


In 1870, Thomas Gully, an Irish immigrant, came to Aurora and built a ranch with several stables. The house he built on the ranch is still standing and it is the oldest house in Aurora. Gully was one of the first Europeans to settle in Aurora. He and his family raised cattle and horses. In 1882, William Smith arrived from Aberdeen in Scotland. In 1885, William Smith donated land and founded what later became Aurora Public Schools. In 1890, Donald Fletcher built the Centennial House. Aurora was founded in 1891, but the original name was Fletcher. The name came from its founder the businessman Donald Fletcher, who was a real estate tycoon in Colorado. The town had 21 houses, four businesses, and one hotel. In 1892, the Granville Fuller House was built. In 1893, a trolley line opened.

In 1900, the DeLaney Barn was built. It is the only historic round barn in Colorado. In 1907, it was decided to rename the town to Aurora. In 1910, the William Smith House was built. In 1918, Fitzsimons Army Hospital opened. In 1921, Fitzsimons Army Hospital was selected to treat the men affected by mustard gas and tuberculosis during World War I. In 1922, the Melvin School house was built. In 1929, Colorado's Secretary of State recognized Aurora as a city. About 2,000 people lived in the city. In 1931, the William Smith School was built. In 1943, the Buckley Air Force Base was established. In 1946, the Aurora Fox Arts Center was built.

In 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower recovered from a heart attack at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora. In 1957, the paving of all streets in the city was completed. In 1971, the Buckingham Square Mall opened. In 1973, Vickie Lovato and Pam Whitman became the first policewomen in the city. In 1975, the Aurora Mall opened. In 1979, the Aurora History Museum opened.

In 2012, James Eagan Holmes killed 12 people and injured 58 others during a midnight screening of the film "The Dark Knight Rises". In 2013, a gunman barricaded himself inside a townhouse after killing three people. He was shot to death by the police.