Aurora Trivia Pursuit

1. The middle branch of the Smoky Hill Trail was called:
a) The Wilderness Trail
b) The Tollgate Trail
c) The Starvation Trail
d) The Prospectors Trail
2. One of Aurora’s earliest newspapers was:
a) The Fletcher Times
b) The Aurora Democrat
c) The Aurora Post
d) The Aurora Daily News
3. Which of these is NOT an Aurora Subdivision:
a) Wolf Creek
b) Summer Breeze
c) Boston Heights
d) Sierra Mesa

Aurora Trivia Pursuit answers
c, b, a

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How Aurora got to be where it is – A brief timeline of significant events

You can’t tell the story of Aurora without telling the story of Denver since Aurora’s existence is a result of Denver.
DENVER
1803 Louisiana Purchase Napoleon needs financing for his war with England Sold! “Denver” is now in U.S. hands
1820 Major Stephen Long Exploration of what we bought called “The Great American Desert”
1848 Mexican American War War ends – spoils of war California in now in U.S. hands
1849 Gold discovered Large amount of people going east to California Some traveling through “Denver”
1849 Colorado Gold Rush John Ralston on way to CA finds gold in Colorado South Platte River gold strike
1849 more gold seekers William Green Russell from Georgia prospector Avid prospector comes to Colorado
1849 South Platte ferry Only place for wagons to cross South Platte River ~ 11th Avenue in “Denver”
1855 Smoky Hill Trail Prospectors – overland route Footprints on “Aurora” soil
1858 More gold found Lawrence, KS party found gold Cherry Creek Pikes Peak gold rush is on
1858 St. Charles platted Lawrence KS party staked out townsite Denver” is being born
1858 Land title for St. Charles William MaGaa & John Simpson Smith give title not that they owned it but …
1858 Auraria staked out Russell party staked out townsite opposite St. Charles Opposite sides of Cherry Creek
1858 Claim jumped William Larimer party claim jumped St. Charles now called Denver City
1858 Larimer’s goal He never was a prospector – make $$ selling real estate named for KT govenor James Denver
1859 Colorado Gold Rush II John Gregory finds gold around Central City Migration is on again – Russell returns
1859 Combining townsites Denver City, Auraria, Highlands towns merge Denver City the combined name
1861 Civil War War ends – some prospectors want to go home Go-backers versus stayers
1861 new Territory Colorado Territory established No longer part of Kansas Territory
1861 They’re official Denver City officially recognized by U.S. Now we have Denver
1867 Capital designated Denver City is territorial capital Denver is here to stay
1870 Railroad arrives Transcontinental Railroad connects to Denver Easier for easterners to get to Denver
1876 Statehood Granted Statehood A seat at the political table
1879 Silver Boom U.S. Buying silver – prices shoot up Horace Tabor fortune made

Time to leave Denver and get started on Aurora’s story
AURORA
1891 Fletcher platted Population boom in Denver – spreading out eastward “Aurora” begins – 39 citizens/21 homes
1893 Silver Bust Repeal of Sherman Silvre Purchase Act Silver prices collapse
1900 Census Population is listed as 202 Mostly agriculture
1903 Fletcher Township Fletcher incorporated as a town Legal recognition
1907 Name change Fletcher name is changed to Aurora No one really knows why
1916 Federal Aid Road Act Automobile popularity – living outside Denver feasible Colfax grows as an economic corridor
1918 World War I War ends – wounded soldiers need care Fitzsimons build east of Aurora
1929 From town to city Aurora becomes a city Growing up
1929 Stock Market Crash Economy hits hard times growth comes to a halt
1934 FHA Home financing becomes easier Government guarantee
1938 Lowry Airforce base opens military training for pilots
1939 Depression over Economy can now start to improve Aurora hasn’t grown much in 40 years
1942 Buckley Buckley opens Three military bases close by Aurora
1944 GI Bill Home financing becomes easier Even easier for a GI to buy a home
1945 World War II War ends – returning soldiers – military base proximity Mass migration for Aurora
1950’s Housing production Assembly line production of houses – build them faster Completing 12 p/day versus 10 p/yr
1954 Hoffman Heights Aurora grows to accommodate demand – doubles in size Unpopular annexation by some people
1960’s More Annexations Aurora adds 12,000 acres – moving south doubles in land size again
1970’s More Annexations Aurora adds 21,500 acres – moving south and east doubles in land size again
1980’s More Annexations Aurora adds 48,500 acres – moving south and east doubles in land size again
1990’s Annexations slow Aurora adds 7,000 acres Take a breath from all the rapid growth
2000’s Annexations slow Aurora adds 8,000 acres cautious growth
2010 Census Population si listed as 325,000 From 202 to 325,0000 and still growing
2010 54th largest city in U.S. Aurora is same size as Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Cincinnati All grown up but not done yet