On April 30, 1891, Aurora was established as the town of Fletcher. The new town comprised four square miles of prairie and was named after Donald Fletcher, one of its developers. The town, which has 39 citizens, built a water system and 14 brick houses with indoor plumbing. Unfortunately, a drought came and ended their water system. In 1893, there was a Silver Panic which caused the property values to drop severely. Nevertheless, the town continued to thrive and was renamed Aurora in 1907. In 1928, the Colorado Secretary of State proclaimed the town as a city since its population has reached more than 2,000. The city seal includes five stars which signify church, business, home, school, and industry. All of these things are relevant to a healthy, progressive community, based on the book published by Mayor Paul C. Beck. During the post-war years, the city boomed primarily because of its three military bases, which are the Fitzsimons Army Hospital, Lowry Air Force Base, and Buckley Air Base. Aurora’s size and population have doubled since the 1970s. Today, the city has over 386,000 residents and has an area of 163 square miles. Indeed, Aurora’s history is filled with growth, community, change, and diversity.

With its fabulous mountains, Aurora is a great place for skiing, biking, and hiking during the weekends or anytime you want. There is no need to leave the city in order to have a good time. You and your family will surely love staying at the new Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center. This enormous resort has an outdoor and indoor pool. They also have a gigantic 75-foot screen where you can watch the Colorado Rockies or Denver Broncos. You might also want to visit the Stanley Marketplace, which is home to over 50 businesses, including wineries, breweries, food stands, and restaurants.

Some of the top attractions of Aurora are Aurora Reservoir, Jewell Wetlands Park, Wheel Park, and Rocky Ridge Park. Aurora Reservoir has over 800 acres of space for fishing, swimming, and picnics. Jewell Wetlands Park comprises more than 46 acres of the butterfly garden, wildlife habitat, and hiking trails. The Wheel Park is where you can find a BMX bike park, a skate park, and a rollerskating rink.