Aurora Colony
Historical Society sells walking tour guide including buildings,
architecture, historyAurora,
a quaint town that is known for its many antique shops and its
designation as Oregon’s first National Historic District, has a unique
history that can be learned through a historical walking tour.
With founding homes and business
buildings still in place from the original 18th Century communal town,
the Aurora Colony Historical Society offers a self-guided tour which
museum staff hope will inform visitors and Aurora residents a like of
the history of the town.
The walking tour guide, which is
available at the Old Aurora Colony museum, includes a map of 35
historic homes, buildings, and building sites. It also tells of the
history of the town, a little about the building styles, and of
changes that have occurred since Dr. William Keil brought his settlers
to the region nearly 150 years ago.
Aurora was established by Keil in 1856
as a communal settlement. Named after his daughter, the land was the
donation land claim of George White and included a working sawmill and
gist mill on the Pudding River. Over the years, additional land was
purchased and at its peak the colony was nearly 17,000 acres and had
about 600 settlers.
Following the migration of the settlers
from Bethel, Mo., houses, a church, hotel, general store and school
were built.
The orchards of Aurora became a
principal fruit growing region in the Northwest, and colony lumber,
shoes, textiles, furniture, tin-ware and baskets were also
manufactured and used by the colony members.
Though everything produced in the colony
was shared under the principal of the Bible — Acts 2:44-45: “And all
who believed were together and had all things in common and they sold
their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had
need.” — members were able to sell extra supplies for profit outside
of the colony.
The historic walking tour also points
out the history of the style of buildings as well as aspects of the
colony life including music.
Music was very popular in the Aurora
colony and history tells that almost everyone knew how to play at
least one instrument.
The Pioneer Band, which was the first
band of adult males in Aurora, practiced outdoors entertaining
travelers. They also played at all colony gatherings, including spring
and summer festivals, Dr. Keil’s birthday celebration each March 6,
religious holidays, and funerals.
There was also a band made of younger
men and boys referred to as the “Pie and Beer Band.”
In 1877, following the death of the
colony’s leader, Keil, land was divided among the members, and
official dissolution of the colony occurred by 1883.
Many of the historical tour’s 35 sites
are within walking distance of the Old Aurora Colony Museum and many
are antique stores today. Some of the locations are simply the site of
where historical homes and businesses used to sit as they were torn
down, lost to fire or moved to other locations over time.
The map includes the historic homes of
many of the founding colony members and the busineses which they ran,
including the Will family, Zimmerman family, and Giesy families, and
the General Merchandise Store, Knights of Pythias Building,
Will-Snyder General Store, and the Aurora State Bank.
The first four sites on the map are
museum buildings: the Ox Barn, George Steinbach Cabin, wash house and
George Kraus House.
Businesses and trade in the Germanic
origin settler’s town ranged from a sawmill to grist mills, a hotel
which served famous German food, and a blacksmith and carpenter shop.
There was also a general store, a shoe
shop and a spinning mill.
Walking maps are available for $3 at the
Old Aurora Colony Museum, which is located on the corner of Second and
Liberty streets in Aurora.
For more on Aurora history, visit the
museum, go online to www.auroracolonymuseum.com, or call museum staff
at 503-678-5754.
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Eagle Newspapers Inc., 2001 - 2005