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Aurora, Colorado

Coordinates: 39°42′39″N 104°48′45″W / 39.71083°N 104.81250°W / 39.71083; -104.81250
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aurora
Home rule municipality[1]
The Southlands
The Southlands
Flag of Aurora
Flag
Official seal of Aurora
Seal
Nicknames: 
The Gateway to the Rockies
The Sunrise of Colorado
Location of the City of Aurora in Arapahoe (central), Adams (north), and Douglas (south) counties, Colorado
Location of the City of Aurora in Arapahoe (central), Adams (north), and Douglas (south) counties, Colorado
Aurora is located in Colorado
Aurora
Aurora
Location of Aurora in the United States
Aurora is located in the United States
Aurora
Aurora
Aurora (the United States)
Coordinates: 39°42′39″N 104°48′45″W / 39.71083°N 104.81250°W / 39.71083; -104.81250
Country United States
State Colorado
CountiesArapahoe[1]
Adams
Douglas
Platted1891 as Fletcher, Colorado
Incorporated (town)May 5, 1903, as the Town of Fletcher[2]
Incorporated (city)March 9, 1928 as the City of Aurora[3]
Government
 • TypeHome rule municipality[1]
 • MayorMike Coffman (R)
(Since December 2, 2019)[citation needed]
 • City ManagerJason Batchelor[citation needed]
Area
[4]
 • Total
423.691 km2 (163.588 sq mi)
 • Land422.191 km2 (163.009 sq mi)
 • Water1.500 km2 (0.579 sq mi)
 • Rank2nd in Colorado
54th in the United States
Elevation
[5]
1,694 m (5,558 ft)
Population
 (2020)[6]
 • Total
386,261
 • Rank3rd in Colorado
52nd in the United States
 • Density931/km2 (2,412/sq mi)
DemonymsAuroran
Time zoneUTC−07:00 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−06:00 (MDT)
ZIP codes
80010-80019, 80040-80047 (all but 80045 PO Boxes), 80247[7]
Area codesBoth 303 and 720
FIPS code08-04000
GNIS feature ID2409757[5]
Websiteauroragov.org

Aurora (/əˈroʊrə/, /əˈrɔːrə/) is a home rule municipality located in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties, Colorado, United States.[1] The city's population was 386,261 at the 2020 United States Census with 336,035 residing in Arapahoe County, 47,720 residing in Adams County, and 2,506 residing in Douglas County.[6] Aurora is the third-most-populous city in the State of Colorado and the 52nd-most-populous city in the United States. Aurora is a principal city of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and a major city of the Front Range Urban Corridor.

History

[edit]
For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Aurora, Colorado.

Before European settlement, the land that now makes up Aurora was the territory of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) tribes.[8]

Aurora originated in the 1880s as the town of Fletcher, taking its name from Denver businessman Donald Fletcher who saw it as a real estate opportunity. He and his partners staked out four square miles (10 km2) east of Denver, but the town—and Colorado—struggled mightily after the Silver Crash of 1893. The Town of Fletcher was incorporated on May 5, 1903.[2] Fletcher skipped town, leaving the community with a huge water debt. Voters decided to rename Fletcher the Town of Aurora in 1907 after one of the subdivisions composing the town. The Aurora, Colorado, post office opened on January 15, 1908.[9]

By February 1928, the town of Aurora had reached a population of over 2,000 and it was reincorporated as a city on March 9.[10][11][3] Aurora slowly began to grow in Denver's shadow becoming the fastest-growing city in the United States during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Aurora, composed of hundreds of subdivisions, thus carries the name of one of the original development plats from which it sprang.

Aurora's growing population in recent decades has led to efforts for co-equal recognition with its larger neighbor.[citation needed] Former mayor Dennis Champine once expressed the somewhat whimsical notion that eventually the area would be called the "Aurora/Denver Metropolitan Area". Indeed, since the 2000 Census Aurora has surpassed Denver in land area, and much of Aurora is undeveloped, while Denver is more fully built-out. However, such efforts are somewhat hampered by the lack of a large, historically important central business district in the city. Aurora is largely suburban in character, as evidenced by the city's modest number of multi-story buildings.

1973 aerial view of Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Aurora, before closure

A large military presence has existed in Aurora since the early 20th century. In 1918, Army General Hospital #21 (later renamed Fitzsimons Army Hospital) opened, with the U.S. government expanding and upgrading the hospital facilities in 1941 just in time to care for the wounded servicemen of World War II. Lowry Air Force Base was opened in 1938, straddling the border of Aurora and Denver. It eventually closed in 1994, and has been redeveloped into a master-planned community featuring residential, commercial, business and educational facilities. In 1942, the Army Air Corps built Buckley Field, which has been renamed Naval Air Station, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Buckley Air Force Base, and finally Buckley Space Force Base. The base, home of the Buckley Garrison and the 140th Wing Colorado Air National Guard, is Aurora's largest employer.

President Warren G. Harding visited Fitzsimons Army Hospital in 1923, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited in 1936.[12] In 1943, the hospital was the birthplace of 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. President Dwight D. Eisenhower recovered from a heart attack at Fitzsimons for seven weeks during the fall of 1955. Decommissioned in 1999, the facility is part of the Anschutz Medical Campus of the University of Colorado Denver, and the Fitzsimons Life Science District. The Anschutz Medical Campus also includes the University of Colorado Hospital, which moved to Aurora from Denver in 2007, and the Children's Hospital. The first carbon-ion radiotherapy research and treatment facility in the U.S. has been proposed at the site.[13] These facilities will employ a workforce of 32,000 at build-out.

In 1965, mayor Norma O. Walker became the first woman to head a U.S. city with a population over 60,000.

In 1978, the cult coming-of-age film Over the Edge was filmed in Aurora; the crime drama has been named the "signature film" of Denver.[14]

In 1979, it was announced that a science fiction theme park would be built in Aurora using the sets of a $50 million film based on the fantasy novel Lord of Light. However, due to legal problems the project was never completed. The script of the unmade film project, renamed Argo, was used as cover for the "Canadian Caper": the exfiltration of six U.S. diplomatic staff trapped by the Iranian hostage crisis.

In 1993, Cherry Creek State Park on the southwestern edge of Aurora was the location for the papal mass of the 8th World Youth Day with Pope John Paul II, attended by an estimated 500,000 people.[15]

Aurora is split among three counties and lies distant from the respective county seats. A consolidated city and county government such as those found elsewhere in Colorado (Denver and Broomfield) was considered in the mid-1990s but failed to win approval by city voters; the issue was reconsidered in 2006.[16]

Aurora Sports Park opened in 2003. In 2004, Aurora was honored as the Sports Illustrated magazine's 50th-anniversary "Sportstown" for Colorado because of its exemplary involvement in facilitating and enhancing sports. The city attracts more than 30 regional and national sports tournaments annually to Aurora's fields. Aurora's active populace is also reflected in the variety of professional athletes hailing from the city. Aurora's first semi-professional sports franchise, the Aurora Cavalry in the International Basketball League, began play in 2006 but folded by season's end due to budget mishaps.[citation needed]

In 2008, Aurora was designated an All-America City by the National Civic League.[17]

Aurora pioneered the use of bank filtration in the United States, becoming one of the first U.S. cities to reap the benefits of siphoning water from beneath a riverbed upon completion of the Prairie Waters Project in 2010.[18][19]

In 2017, the Republic of El Salvador opened a consulate in Aurora, serving Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and Wyoming.[20] In 2024, the Republic of Honduras opened the city's second diplomatic post.[21]

Aurora theater shooting

[edit]
Main article: 2012 Aurora theater shooting

On July 20, 2012, Aurora was the site of the deadliest shooting by a lone shooter in Colorado (and the state's overall second deadliest, after the 1999 Columbine High School massacre).[22] The shooting occurred just after midnight, when James Holmes opened fire during the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises in a Century movie theater, killing 12 people and injuring 70 others.[23] Holmes was arrested and was eventually sentenced to 12 life sentences in prison with an additional required 3,318 years. The shooting drew an international response from world leaders. U.S. President Barack Obama visited victims, as well as local and state officials, and addressed the nation in a televised address from Aurora on July 22. Actor Christian Bale, who plays Batman in the film, also visited some victims in hospitals. The events marked a turning point in recognition and public perception of the city; rather than referring to the site as being in "Denver" or "suburban Denver", as would have been typical before the event, virtually all media accounts of the incident unequivocally named "Aurora" as its location.[24]

Elijah McClain

[edit]
Main article: Killing of Elijah McClain

On August 30, 2019, Elijah McClain died six days after an unprovoked detention by two Aurora police officers.[25] On June 27, 2020, Aurora Police in riot gear dispersed thousands of protestors at a violin concert held in his honor.[26] On October 12, 2023, one of the officers involved in McClain's death was found guilty on charges of assault and negligent homicide, while another officer was acquitted on all charges against him, which included assault and reckless manslaughter.[27]

2024 U.S. Presidential Election

[edit]

Aurora was thrust into national media coverage during the run-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election. In September 2024, mayor Mike Coffman and city council member Danielle Jurinsky, both Republicans, falsely claimed that the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang had taken control of an Aurora apartment complex and was extorting residents for their rent money. Jurinsky appeared on Fox News to assert that others questioning her claims were engaged in "a huge cover-up" and this "isn't just an Aurora issue." The false rumor spread across right-wing media before the two officials backpedaled from their original assertions. Presidential candidate Donald Trump became aware of the rumor and repeated it multiple times during his September 10 debate with Kamala Harris, and subsequently scheduled a campaign rally in Aurora.[28][29][30][31] Mayor Coffman then pushed back against Trump's claims that the city was overrun by Venezuelan gangs.[32] At the October 11 rally at Aurora's Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Trump ramped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric and proposed an "Operation Aurora" to remove undocumented immigrants connected to gangs.[33] At a press conference held the same day at Aurora's Stanley Marketplace to denounce Trump's rally, Colorado Governor Jared Polis said, "We welcome the eyes of the nation on a true Colorado gem, the great city of Aurora."[34][35]

Geography

[edit]
Buckley Space Force Base

Aurora's official elevation, posted on signs at the city limits, is 5,471 feet (1,668 m). However, the city spans a difference in elevation of nearly 1,000 feet (300 m). The lowest elevation of 5,285 feet (1,611 m) is found at the point where Sand Creek crosses the city limit in the northwest corner of the city, while the highest elevation of 6,229 feet (1,899 m) is on the extreme southern border of the city in Douglas County, near the intersection of Inspiration and Gartrell roads.[36]

According to 2023 data published by the United States Census, the city has a total area of 104,696 acres (423.691 km2) including 371 acres (1.500 km2) of water.[4] The city is about 6 percent more extensive than neighboring Denver but 80 percent of the size of Colorado Springs, ranking as the 54th-largest U.S. city in land area.

Neighborhoods

[edit]

Aurora is composed of dozens of neighborhoods, districts and (current and former) military installations. Among them:[citation needed]

  • Adonea
  • Anschutz Medical Campus
  • Aurora Heights
  • Aurora Highlands[37]
  • Aurora Hills
  • Aurora Knolls
  • Beacon Point
  • Berkshire Village
  • Blackstone
  • Brookvale
  • Buckley Space Force Base
  • Carriage Place
  • Centretech
  • Chadsford
  • Chaddsford Village
  • Chambers Heights
  • Chelsea
  • Cinnamon Village II
  • City Center
  • Conservatory
  • Copperleaf
  • Corning
  • Crestridge
  • Cross Creek
  • The Dam East
  • Del Mar
  • The Dam West
  • Downtown A-Town (the Fletcher townsite, Aurora's "downtown")
  • Eastridge
  • East Quincy Highlands
  • Fox Hill
  • Greenfield
  • Hallcraft's Village East
  • Hampton Hills
  • Havana Heights
  • Heather Gardens
  • Heather Ridge
  • Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club
  • Highline Villages
  • Highpoint
  • Hillside at Del Mar
  • Hoffman Heights
  • Hutchinson Heights
  • Inspiration
  • Jackson Farm
  • Kingsborough
  • Laredo-Highline
  • Lowry Campus (formerly Lowry Air Force Base)
  • Lynn Knoll
  • Meadowood
  • Meadow Hills
  • Mission Viejo
  • Morris Heights
  • Murphy Creek
  • Peoria Park
  • Pheasant Run
  • Piney Creek
  • Ponderosa Ridge
  • Pride's Crossing
  • Ptarmigan Park
  • Queensborough
  • Quincy Hill
  • Rocking Horse
  • Saddle Rock
  • Settler's Village
  • Serenity Ridge
  • Seven Hills
  • Shenandoah
  • Stapleton (a portion of the redevelopment of Denver's former airport lies in Aurora, directly north of Original Aurora)
  • Siena
  • Smoky Hill
  • Smoky Ridge
  • Sterling Hills
  • Stricker's House
  • Summer Valley Ranch
  • Tallgrass
  • Tallyn's Reach[38]
  • The Timbers
  • Tollgate Run at Kingsborough
  • Tollgate Village
  • Traditions
  • Tuscany
  • Utah Park
  • Village East
  • Waters Edge
  • Wheatlands
  • Whispering Pines
  • Willow Park
  • Willow Trace
  • Woodgate
  • Woodrim

Surrounding municipalities

[edit]
North: Denver
West: Denver, Centennial Aurora East: Watkins, Bennett, Strasburg
South: Greenwood Village, Centennial,
Foxfield, Parker

Climate

[edit]

Aurora experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk), with four distinct seasons and modest precipitation year-round. Summers range from mild to hot, with generally low humidity and frequent afternoon thunderstorms, and Aurora also averages about one dozen tornado warnings throughout tornado season, running from April to July. Although a touchdown does occur every couple of years, tornadoes are typically weak and short lived. Aurora residents typically hear the tornado sirens go off numerous times more than residents in Denver, to the West. All of Aurora is located east of I-25, where tornado alley begins. Hailstorms, at times one to two-plus feet deep happen on occasion, and typical hailstorms are very common throughout these months.[39] July is the warmest month of the year, with an average high of 89 °F (32 °C) and an average low of 57 °F (14 °C). Winters range from mild to occasional bitter cold, with periods of sunshine alternating with periods of snow, high winds and very low temperatures. December is the coldest month of the year, with an average high of 43 °F (6 °C) and an average low of 17 °F (−8 °C). The average first snowfall in the Aurora area occurs in late October and the average final snowfall occurs in late April, although snow has fallen as early as September 4 and as late as June 5. Generally, deciduous trees in the area are bare from mid October to late April.

Climate data for Aurora, Colorado
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 76
(24) 		75
(24) 		83
(28) 		89
(32) 		97
(36) 		105
(41) 		108
(42) 		104
(40) 		100
(38) 		96
(36) 		81
(27) 		73
(23) 		108
(42)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 45
(7) 		47
(8) 		55
(13) 		62
(17) 		71
(22) 		82
(28) 		89
(32) 		86
(30) 		78
(26) 		67
(19) 		53
(12) 		43
(6) 		65
(18)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 18
(−8) 		20
(−7) 		26
(−3) 		33
(1) 		42
(6) 		51
(11) 		57
(14) 		55
(13) 		47
(8) 		35
(2) 		26
(−3) 		17
(−8) 		36
(2)
Record low °F (°C) −32
(−36) 		−24
(−31) 		−14
(−26) 		−7
(−22) 		17
(−8) 		30
(−1) 		41
(5) 		36
(2) 		15
(−9) 		−2
(−19) 		−14
(−26) 		−27
(−33) 		−32
(−36)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.49
(12) 		0.47
(12) 		1.50
(38) 		2.08
(53) 		2.85
(72) 		2.00
(51) 		2.46
(62) 		2.05
(52) 		1.44
(37) 		1.03
(26) 		1.18
(30) 		0.65
(17) 		18.20
(462)
Source: Weather.com[40]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1900202—
1910679236.1%
192098344.8%
19302,295133.5%
19403,43749.8%
195011,421232.3%
196048,548325.1%
197074,97454.4%
1980158,588111.5%
1990222,10340.1%
2000276,39324.4%
2010325,07817.6%
2020386,26118.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

[edit]
Aurora, Colorado – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[41] Pop 2010[42] Pop 2020[43] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 163,599 153,715 160,950 59.19% 47.29% 41.67%
Black or African American alone (NH) 36,008 49,003 59,232 13.03% 15.07% 15.33%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 1,511 1,487 1,679 0.55% 0.46% 0.43%
Asian alone (NH) 11,892 15,735 24,480 4.30% 4.84% 6.34%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 458 919 1,549 0.17% 0.28% 0.40%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 495 677 2,213 0.18% 0.21% 0.57%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 7,666 10,279 19,256 2.77% 3.16% 4.99%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 54,764 93,263 116,902 19.81% 28.69% 30.27%
Total 276,393 325,078 386,261 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2010 census, there were 325,078 people, 121,191 households, and 73,036 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,939.6 inhabitants per square mile (748.9/km2). There were 131,040 housing units at an average density of 766.7 units per square mile (296.0 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 61.1% White, 15.7% African American, 4.9% Asian (1.1% Korean, 0.8% Vietnamese, 0.5% Filipino, 0.5% Chinese, 0.5% Indian, 0.2% Japanese, 0.1% Thai, 0.1% Cambodian, 0.1% Burmese, 0.1% Nepalese, 0.1% Pakistani, 0.1% Indonesian), 1.0% Native American, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 11.6% from other races, and 5.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.7% of the population; 21.9% of Aurora's population is of Mexican heritage, 1.0% Salvadoran, 0.7% Puerto Rican, 0.4% Guatemalan, 0.3% Honduran, 0.3% Peruvian, 0.2% Cuban, 0.2% Colombian and 0.1% Nicaraguan.[44] Non-Hispanic Whites were 47.3% of the population in 2010,[45] compared to 85.1% in 1980.[46]

Aurora is a center of Colorado's refugee population. There are about 30,000 Ethiopians and Eritreans living in the Denver–Aurora area. There is also a sizable population of Nepalese refugees.[47][48]

There were 121,191 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.2.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 37.6% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,507, and the median income for a family was $52,551. Males had a median income of $35,963 versus $30,080 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,095. About 6.8% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

[edit]

According to the Aurora Economic Development Council,[49] the largest public employers in the city are:

# Employer Employees
1 Buckley Space Force Base 12,100
2 Anschutz Medical Campus 6,360
3 University of Colorado Hospital 4,050
4 Aurora Public Schools 4,020
5 Cherry Creek Schools 3,820
6 City of Aurora 3,740
7 Community College of Aurora 510

According to the Aurora Economic Development Council,[50] the largest private employers in the city of Aurora are:

# Employer Employees
1 Children's Hospital Colorado 5,670
2 Raytheon Technologies 2,430
3 Kaiser Permanente 1,940
4 The Medical Center of Aurora 1,710
5 Amazon 1,500
6 24-7 Intouch 1,350
7 SROriginals 870
8 Tyco Integrated Security 850
9 Northrop Grumman 750
10 ADT Inc. 700

Other notable employers in the city include Lockheed Martin Corporation, Staples Inc., United Natural Foods, Aurora Mental Health Center, G45 Secure Solutions, Graebel Relocation, Core-Mark, and Nelnet, Inc.

Attractions

[edit]

The city of Aurora manages more than 100 parks,[51] more than 6,000 acres (24 km2) of open space and natural areas,[51] and six award-winning municipal golf courses (Aurora Hills, Meadow Hills, Murphy Creek, Saddle Rock, Springhill and Fitzsimons).[52] Aurora also is home to several privately owned golf courses including CommonGround Golf Course, Heather Ridge Country Club, Heritage Eagle Bend Golf Club and Valley Country Club.

Star K Ranch, home to Aurora's Morrison Nature Center, provides important habitat for wildlife. It has several trails for nature exploration, including access to the Sand Creek Greenway Trail. Jewell Wetland, a 50-acre (200,000 m2) wooded wetland, features trails, boardwalk/deck access into the wetland and a butterfly garden. Aurora Reservoir and Quincy Reservoir offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor water pursuits.[51]

Sod house at the Plains Conservation Center

DeLaney Farm, site of Aurora's famous historic round barn, has 130 acres (0.53 km2) of open space, trails with access to the High Line Canal, an organic garden managed by Denver Urban Gardens, and two structures on the National Register of Historic Places. The Plains Conservation Center, with 1,100 acres (4.5 km2) of native shortgrass prairie, hosts a variety of educational programs.[51]

Twenty-seven historic sites and landmarks are managed by the city of Aurora, including the Gully Homestead of 1870, the Victorian-style Centennial House of 1890, the privately owned American War Mothers National Memorial Home, the Art Deco-style KOA Building of 1934, the DeLaney Round Barn of 1902, Lowry Building 800, the interim headquarters for the U.S. Air Force Academy from 1955 to 1958, and Stanley Marketplace, which opened at the former site of Stanley Aviation in 2016.[53]

The Aurora Fox Theatre & Arts Center, another historic landmark, is a 245-seat performing arts facility in the Aurora Cultural Arts District, along East Colfax Avenue. In that same area, The People's Building is a performing arts venue with flexible space, including 191 retractable seats and a gallery.[54]

The Aurora History Museum is a community-based cultural center featuring a permanent exhibit on Aurora history and two changing exhibit galleries touching on topics related to history and decorative arts.[55] Additionally, some of their collections can be accessed online here. Aurora is home to the Colorado Freedom Memorial[56] and a memorial garden for the victims of the 2012 theater shooting is located adjacent to City Hall.[57]

The Aurora Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra established in 1978, offers a full season of full orchestra concerts annually as well as smaller chamber ensemble performances.[58]

The Aurora Public Library serves its population, providing four main branches, four PC centers, and a variety of events throughout the year to its population.[59]

Town Center at Aurora is the city's main shopping mall. Other shopping centers in Aurora include The Gardens on Havana (formerly Buckingham Square) and Southlands.

Stanley Marketplace, a shopping mall inside the former Stanley Aviation plant.

Government

[edit]

The city of Aurora operates under a council-manager form of government, where the city manager runs the city's day-to-day operations with general guidance from the city council. The Aurora City Council is composed of a mayor and ten council members. Six members are elected from districts, while the other four are elected at large. The mayor is elected by the entire city. Aurora's mayor role is largely ceremonial, but the mayor does have direct impact on policy issues as the head of city council.[60] The council is nonpartisan; however, parties of members have been listed below for reference.

Aurora City Council Members[61]
District Officeholder Political Party
Mayor Mike Coffman Republican
At-Large Dustin Zvonek Republican
Danielle Jurinsky Republican
Alison Coombs Democratic
Curtis Gardner Republican
Ward I Crystal Murillo Democratic
Ward II Steve Sundberg Republican
Ward III Ruben Medina Democratic
Ward IV Stephanie Hancock

Republican

Ward V Angela Lawson Nonpartisan
Ward VI Francoise Bergan Republican

This full-service city is protected by the Aurora Police Department,[62] one of only 10 law enforcement agencies in Colorado to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies; the Aurora Fire Department,[63] which is accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International; and a Public Safety Communications dispatch call center.[64] The Aurora Municipal Courts handles a wide variety of offense violations, and the Aurora Detention Center is a 72-hour adult holding facility.[65]

Politics

[edit]

In national elections, Aurora leans to the left and the Democratic Party, though not as much as neighboring Denver but more than other suburbs in the Denver metro area. Northern and Central Aurora, due to an extremely racially and culturally diverse voter base and high density for a suburban city, are some of the most Democratic areas in Colorado and vote similarly to Denver and Boulder; southern Aurora, similar to neighboring Centennial, used to lean Republican but has swung Democratic entering the 2020s.[66][67]

Aurora anchors Colorado's 6th congressional district and is represented in Congress by Jason Crow (D-Centennial). State representation is listed in the tables below (areas implied to be in Arapahoe County unless noted: not all districts are fully in Aurora).

Colorado State Representatives

[edit]
District Name Party Area Represented
  District 30 Dafna Michaelson Jenet Democratic North Aurora (Adams County)
  District 36 Mike Weissman Democratic Eastern Aurora
  District 37 Tom Sullivan Democratic Southeastern Aurora
  District 39 Mark Baisley Republican Southern Aurora (Douglas County)
  District 40 Naquetta Ricks Democratic South-central Aurora
  District 41 Iman Jodeh Democratic Central Aurora
  District 42 Mandy Lindsay Democratic North-central Aurora
  District 44 Kim Ransom Republican Southern Aurora (Douglas County)
  District 56 Rod Bockenfeld Republican Eastern Aurora (Adams and Arapahoe Counties)

Colorado State Senators

[edit]
District Name Party Area Represented
  District 4 Jim Smallwood Republican Southern Aurora (Douglas County)
  District 25 Kevin Priola Democratic[a] Northern Aurora (Adams County)
  District 26 Jeff Bridges Democratic South-central Aurora
  District 27 Chris Kolker Democratic Southeastern Aurora
  District 28 Janet Buckner Democratic South-central Aurora
  District 29 Rhonda Fields Democratic North-central Aurora

List of mayors

[edit]
List of mayors of Fletcher and Aurora[69]
Name Period served Notes
H.M. Miliken May 27, 1891 – May 1, 1894
A.L.B. Davies May 2, 1894 – April 2, 1895
P.H. Chambers April 3, 1895 – April 15, 1898
W.A. Clundy April 16, 1898 – April 8, 1899
W.H. Murphy April 9, 1899 – April 12, 1901
Jonas Washburn April 13, 1901 – April 6, 1903
Harry S. Class April 7, 1903 – April 14, 1904
Louis M. Strauss April 15, 1904 – April 2, 1905
Wilmer J. Parker April 13, 1905 – April 10, 1906 Resigned
Andrew Thompson April 16, 1906 – April 14, 1907 Last mayor of Fletcher
Edwin G. Smith April 15, 1907 – April 12, 1908 First mayor of Aurora
A.H. Kramer April 13, 1908 – April 13, 1910
V.T. O'Donald April 14, 1910 – April 17, 1911
Gershom Jones April 18, 1911 – April 13, 1914
H.B. Thompson April 14, 1914 – April 12, 1917
George E. Smith April 13, 1917 – December 7, 1917 Resigned
Harry Katherman December 8, 1917 – July 1, 1918 Mayor pro tem
John McMillan July 1, 1918 – May 4, 1919
J.N. Trompen May 5, 1919 – April 21, 1920
Jasper Parrish April 22, 1920 – April 14, 1921
John McMillan April 15, 1921 – April 11, 1926
F.A. Harrison April 12, 1926 – April 10, 1927
E.S. Murphy April 11, 1927 – April 24, 1929
B.B. Nevius April 25, 1929 – April 12, 1931
Charles F. Holzer April 13, 1931 – April 6, 1937
W.J. Parrish April 7, 1937 – April 6, 1941
J.E. McWhorter April 7, 1941 – January 11, 1943 Resigned
A.O. Hill January 13, 1943 – April 8, 1945 Appointed January 13, 1943, elected April 12, 1943
B.T. Howard April 9, 1945 – January 11, 1948
C.E. Tupps January 12, 1948 – November 8, 1953
William B. Mansfield November 9, 1953 – November 6, 1955
Allen C. Bradly November 7, 1955 – November 8, 1959
Harry W. Allard November 9, 1959 – November 11, 1963
Robert W. Fennig November 12, 1963 – November 7, 1965
Norma O. Walker November 8, 1965 – November 12, 1967 First female mayor[70]
Paul C. Beck November 13, 1967 – December 8, 1974
William R. Dominguez December 9, 1974 – November 9, 1975
Fred H. Hood November 10, 1975 – November 5, 1979
Dennis Champine November 6, 1979 – November 3, 1987
Paul Tauer November 4, 1987 – November 4, 2003
Edward J. Tauer November 5, 2003 – November 13, 2011
Steve Hogan November 14, 2011 – May 13, 2018
Bob LeGare June 25, 2018 – December 1, 2019
Mike Coffman December 2, 2019 – present

Education

[edit]

Primary and secondary education school districts:[71][72][73]

Charter schools:

Private schools:

  • Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran School[74]

Post-secondary and career education:[75]

Media

[edit]
Main article: Media in Aurora, Colorado

Transportation

[edit]
Florida Station pedestrian bridge over Interstate 225

Aurora straddles I-70, I-225 and the E-470 beltway. The Regional Transportation District's light rail transit system was extended to serve the southwestern edge of Aurora on November 17, 2006. The H Line stops at Aurora's Dayton and Nine Mile Stations; a comprehensive network of feeder buses in southern Aurora serve the latter. On February 24, 2017, the line was extended as the R Line to Peoria Station in the city's northwest, where riders may transfer to the A Line providing service between Union Station in Downtown Denver and Denver Airport. Much of Aurora is more convenient to Denver International Airport than Denver itself, and the city is planning an Aerotropolis along the airport's southern flank.[76] This proximity is a factor in the expected growth of the E-470 corridor directly south of Denver International Airport, projected to eventually accommodate 250,000 additional Aurora residents.[citation needed] The easternmost portions of Aurora adjoin the Colorado Air and Space Port.

In 2017, Aurora became the first city in Colorado to host a dockless bike sharing program, but operations have been suspended since August 2022.[77]

Sports

[edit]

In 2014 the U.S.A. Powerlifting Raw Nationals and the IPF Open Powerlifting World Championships were both held in Aurora. The WC was the 35th Women's and 44th Men's Open Powerlifting Championships, and it was held on the Radisson Hotel Denver Southeast.[78]

Notable people

[edit]
Main article: List of people from Aurora, Colorado

Some notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Aurora include:

Sister cities

[edit]

Aurora's sister cities are:[84]

Friendship cities

[edit]

Aurora also has two friendship cities:[84]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Kevin Priola was elected as a Republican, and crossed the floor to the Democratic Party in 2022.[68]
  2. ^ After Aurora Sister Cities International was resurrected in 2013.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Active Colorado Municipalities". Colorado Department of Local Affairs. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved August 18, 2007.
  3. ^ a b "Official Notice of City in this Issue". The Aurora Democrat. Vol. 19, no. 12. March 9, 1928. p. 1.
  4. ^ a b "Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce. September 21, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  5. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Aurora, Colorado
  6. ^ a b "Decennial Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data". United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce. August 12, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
  7. ^ "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. August 19, 2007. Archived from the original (JavaScript/HTML) on August 18, 2007. Retrieved August 19, 2007. The post office serving 80137 is located in Aurora, but "Watkins" is the place name assigned to the ZIP code.
  8. ^ Temprano, Victor (2015). "Native Land". Native Land Digital.
  9. ^ Bauer, William H.; Ozment, James L.; Willard, John H. (1990). Colorado Post Offices 1859–1989. Golden, Colorado: Colorado Railroad Historical Foundation. ISBN 0-918654-42-4.
  10. ^ "Census Shows Aurora is now a City". The Aurora Democrat. Vol. 19, no. 10. February 24, 1928. p. 1.
  11. ^ "Aurora Town Becomes a City Today". The Aurora Democrat. Vol. 19, no. 11. March 2, 1928. p. 1.
  12. ^ "Timeline: Development of the Anschutz campus (Slideshow) - Denver Business Journal". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  13. ^ Cornelius, Cornell (September 24, 2014). "CSU plan presents new hope for U.S. Cancer Patients". Colorado State University. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
  14. ^ "The signature film of 76 cities around the world". Yardbarker. December 10, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  15. ^ "World Youth Day memorial signs in need of repair". Archived from the original on September 27, 2011.
  16. ^ "The Sentinel". Sentinel Colorado. May 4, 2023.
  17. ^ "AAC Winners by State and City". Ncl.org. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  18. ^ Levy, Max (January 10, 2023). "Aurora poised to double capacity of Prairie Waters riverbank filtration project with federal grant". Sentinel Colorado. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
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  20. ^ "Consulado de el Salvador en Aurora, Colorado - Inicio". Archived from the original on January 18, 2018.
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  22. ^ "Colorado Movie Theater Shooting: 70 Victims The Largest Mass Shooting". Good morning America. July 20, 2012. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  23. ^ "Officials release complete list of injured victims in Aurora massacre". Fox News Channel. January 10, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  24. ^ "Aurora is Finally a Household Name...For the Wrong Reason". westword.com. July 20, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2015. Most of the headlines name-check Aurora as the site of the massacre, rather than tying it to a Denver suburb.
  25. ^ Independent Review Panel (February 22, 2021). "Investigation Report and Recommendations" (PDF). City of Aurora. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  26. ^ Heyward, Giulia (July 13, 2020). "Violin Vigils Honor the Memory of Elijah McClain". New York Times. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  27. ^ Babineau, Andi; Levenson, Eric; and Tucker, Emma (October 12, 2023). "One officer who arrested Elijah McClain convicted of criminally negligent homicide; second officer acquitted". CNN. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
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  29. ^ Acevedo, Nicole (September 11, 2024). "What led to rumors Trump shared about Venezuelan gangs taking over a Colorado building?". NBC News.
  30. ^ "Police identify three more people from viral video of armed men inside Aurora apartment complex". Denver 7 Colorado News (KMGH). September 26, 2024. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  31. ^ Mason, Tori (August 30, 2024). "Venezuelan gang activity confirmed by Aurora officials after release of Colorado woman's surveillance video - CBS Colorado". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  32. ^ "Trump seizes on one block of a Colorado city to warn of migrant crime threat, even as crime dips". KLRT - FOX16.com. October 10, 2024. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  33. ^ Waddick, Karissa. "Trump proposes 'Operation Aurora,' escalates migrant rhetoric at Colo. rally: 3 takeaways". USA TODAY. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  34. ^ Birkeland, Bente; DeMare ·, Kiara (October 11, 2024). "In a long but cheerful line, Trump supporters await their candidate in Aurora". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
  35. ^ Writer, Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff (October 11, 2024). "Colorado Dems skewer Trump in Aurora ahead of campaign rally at Gaylord". Sentinel Colorado. Retrieved October 12, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  36. ^ Auroragov.org: Planning and Development Services Department Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  37. ^ "A bold look at Denver area's future: In Aurora, first large master plan in years has a fall-themed preview next weekend (Oct. 26-27)". October 18, 2019.
  38. ^ "Tallyn's Reach". tallynsreach-community.com. Brookfield Residential. Archived from the original on June 7, 2017. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  39. ^ "Aurora, Colorado Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  40. ^ Weather.com—[1] Archived August 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
  41. ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Aurora city, Colorado". United States Census Bureau.
  42. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Aurora city, Colorado". United States Census Bureau.
  43. ^ "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Aurora city, Colorado". United States Census Bureau.
  44. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. October 5, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  45. ^ "Aurora (city), Colorado". State & County QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  46. ^ "Colorado - Race and Hispanic Origin for Selected Cities and Other Places: Earliest Census to 1990". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 12, 2012. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
  47. ^ Illescas, Carlos. Aurora reaching out refugee community, Denver Post, December 21, 2012.
  48. ^ Bunch, Joey. Denver metro area home to 30,000 Ethiopians, Eritreans Archived March 4, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Denver Post, July 29, 2013.
  49. ^ "Aurora Economic Development Council". Auroraedc.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
  50. ^ "Aurora Economic Development Council - Largest Employers". www.auroraedc.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  51. ^ a b c d "Parks & Open Spaces @ AuroraGov.Org". Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  52. ^ "Golf @ AuroraGov.Org". Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  53. ^ "Explore the Sites @ AuroraGov.Org". Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  54. ^ The People's Building. "Aurora Cultural Arts District". AuroraGov.org. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
  55. ^ "Aurora History Museum @ AuroraGov.Org". Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  56. ^ "Colorado Freedom Memorial". Visit Aurora. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  57. ^ "7/20 Memorial". Visit Aurora. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  58. ^ Aurora Symphony Orchestra (February 22, 1999). "About the ASO". Aurorasymphony.org. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
  59. ^ "Aurora Public Library". City of Aurora. Archived from the original on August 1, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2015.
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  61. ^ "Mayor & City Council".
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  66. ^ Mason, Kara (March 13, 2020). "LEFT TURN: Aurora, area suburbs veering left politically". Aurora Sentinel. Associated Press. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  67. ^ Park, Alice; Smart, Charlie; Taylor, Rumsey; Watkins, Miles (February 2, 2021). "2020 Elections Map". The New York Times. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  68. ^ @KevinPriola (August 22, 2022). "#coleg #copolitics #Elections2022 #democracy #Republican #DemocratsDeliver #colorado" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  69. ^ "Elections Archives". Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  70. ^ Swartzell, Griffin. "New PAC asks mediocre white guys "Dude, can you not?"". Colorado Springs Independent. Archived from the original on July 1, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  71. ^ a b "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Adams County, CO" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. p. 1 (PDF p. 2/3). Retrieved November 1, 2024. - Text list - First page cites: UNI 02340 (Aurora PS), UNI 02430 (Bennett 29-J), and UNI 02580 (27J).
  72. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Arapahoe County, CO" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. pp. 1-2 (PDF pp. 2-3/6). Retrieved November 1, 2024. - Text list. First page cites: UNI 02340 (Aurora PS) and UNI 02910 (Cherry Creek PS). Second page cites: UNI 02340, UNI 02430 (Bennett 29-J), and UNI 02910.
  73. ^ a b "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Douglas County, CO" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 1, 2024. - Text list.
  74. ^ "Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran School". Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  75. ^ Smith, James. "Your Aurora Government" (PDF). Aurora Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 1, 2015. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  76. ^ "Aerotropolis - A Game Changer for Aurora -". CCD Magazine. April 23, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  77. ^ "City of Aurora in Colorado". www.auroragov.org. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  78. ^ visitaurora - International Powerlifting World Championships Archived November 7, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  79. ^ Villager, The (September 8, 2021). "U. S. Rep. Lauren Boebert wows local G.O.P." The Villager. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  80. ^ Beyers, Tim (June 1, 2013). "Denver Comic Con: Q&A with J. Scott Campbell". 5280. Archived from the original on May 4, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  81. ^ "Kerry, John Forbes, (1943- )". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. U.S. Congress. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  82. ^ Carreon, Blue. "Andrew Kwon: The Bridal Designer To Know". Forbes. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  83. ^ Nguyen, Joe (April 28, 2015). "Michelle Waterson signs to fight in UFC's strawweight division". The Denver Post. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  84. ^ a b "Our Sister Cities". Aurora Sister Cities International. January 20, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2023.

Bibliography

[edit]
See also: Bibliography of the history of Aurora, Colorado
[edit]
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