When Dr. William Keil created a Christian communal society in Oregon in 1856 called the Aurora Colony, he probably didn't envision Highway 99E running through the heart of town.

Then again, I doubt Keil (pronounced Kyle) envisioned the town filled with the wares of roughly 200 antiques and collectibles dealers, either. But that's what has happened in the nearly 150 years since the community's inception.

My husband, Rick, and I discovered the town, now called only Aurora, a couple of summers ago, while we were exploring Oregon on our way to the Coast.

Located in the northern portion of the Willamette Valley, the town charmed us with its old buildings, including a refurbished railroad depot that now houses an antique shop that specializes in new Fenton art glass and oil lamps.

But it was when we crunched our way across a median layered with hazelnut shells that we knew we'd be back to visit again and again.

A destiny born in the past
Adding up the figures, we came to the conclusion that Aurora is simply the mini-antiques mecca of Oregon. The town has a population of only 614, but there are 200 antiques dealers with spaces in the town's dozen or so shops --- that's almost one dealer for every three residents.

One of them is Karen Townsend, a 22-year Aurora resident and owner of Time After Time. She said the town was the first National Historic District in Oregon, and its German-American architecture is a big draws for antique and collectible peddlers.

"The buildings really lend themselves to the whole experience of looking at old things," she said.

One of the town's historical sites is the museum, which houses artifacts from the town's past, including photographs of the founder and his family.

The museum's entrance is in the two-story Old Ox Barn, built in 1862 and restored and dedicated in 1963 by the Aurora Colony Historical Society. On the property are two other historical buildings, the Kraus House, circa 1863, and the Steinbach log cabin.

"We also have the wash house and the tie shed," said Jacobs. "The tie shed is a newer construction, a replica of the original."

The upper floor of the Ox Barn is dedicated to the handiwork of Aurora's first residents.

"The colonists were very fine craftspeople," Jacobs said. "We have many items on display that are evidence of the quality and workmanship."

A large wooden lathe occupies the center of the second floor.

"It was a woodworking tool, for turning bed posts or chair legs," Jacobs said, noting that besides carpentry, the original settlers also did needlework, wove baskets, made their own shoes and leather goods and were "fine cooks."

"The (Aurora) hotel was known throughout the area for its fine food, and the trains stopped here daily," Jacobs said.

The museum offers a program each spring to about 2,500 schoolchildren who visit the Stauffer-Will Farm, a historic site three miles south of Aurora.

"Schools as far away as Grants Pass and Tacoma come and learn about the Aurora Colony," Jacobs said. "The communal society is different from any other pioneer community in the Northwest ... . They shared all their goods, took care of one another."

Aurora and the (almost) local connection
One of the things that intrigues me most about Aurora's past is the fragile connection between the old colony and Southwest Washington.

The group that came to Aurora followed Dr. Keil there from a Christian community in Bethel, Mo.

"They were looking for a new spot to continue their utopian society," Aurora Colony Historical Society executive director Joan Jacobs said.

Dr. Keil originally sent out a search party, which found a location on Willapa Bay in Washington.

That site, which was later rejected because of its remote location and wet climate, would be the final resting place of Dr. Keil's son, Willie. The boy, who had begged his father not to leave him behind, died just before the group began their move to Washington. To stave off the inevitable decay, Dr. Keil filled a coffin with whiskey and brought his son on their journey.

According to a museum volunteer, this information had preceded the group and led to positive encounters with the Indian tribes, who were curious about the boy they called "the Pickled Man."

The travelers buried Willie in what is now Menlo, Wash., a small town in Pacific County.

As a child, my parents and I traveled to the beach area of Grayland, Wash., each year and drove past the historical marker that commemorates Willie.

Several times we stopped, and I read about poor Willie's fate. But I never dreamed that the circle would complete itself as I stood on the weathered wooden floors of the Old Aurora Colony Museum, 150 miles south of his grave.

Not just antiques and history --- food, too
A visit to Aurora isn't complete without a stop at Pacific Hazelnut Farms, where visitors can pick up handmade hazelnut treats.

The hazelnut tradition goes back to the first tree planted in Scottsburg, Ore., in 1858, and Pacific Hazelnut Farms sweetens the pot by roasting, toasting and coating the nuts with chocolate and other delicious novelties.

The tastiest, Rick and I decided, is a nutty toffee, buttery and mouth-meltingly rich, coated in milk chocolate. The factory and gift shop is located just outside of Aurora on Highway 99.

For healthy treats, Fir Point Farms sells sweet corn, vine-ripened cantaloupe and watermelon, peach and apples. The farm also features a cutting garden for flowers, homemade pies and baked goods, and a pumpkin patch in the fall.

The farm also puts on an annual Fall Harvest Breakfast, where folks enjoy homemade pancakes in the crisp autumn ambiance.

Money raised from the event goes to the town's Friendship Fund to help local victims of disasters. The farm is easy to get to from Interstate 5 by taking the Canby exit (282A). From there, turn left onto Arndt Road and follow the signs. Breakfast will be served from 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 29r,.

The crossroads of the Willamette Valley
Communal life be gone, but Townsend noted that businesses in Aurora work together to keep their history and economy alive.

"It's kind of a nice marriage," she said. "We have authentic relics from the colony, and the antique stores in their old buildings, and an active business community."

Besides the annual breakfast, the community also offers the Antique Spinning Wheel Showcase, a tribute to the Aurora Colony crafters, the second weekend of March. The yearly "Strawberry Social" is held the last Sunday of June, Aurora Colony Days on the second weekend of August, a quilt show on the second weekend of October and holiday celebration the second weekend of November.

So far, Rick and I have only experienced Colony Days, a colorful street sale. The day we visited was hot and dusty, but we sipped iced tea as we walked up the sloping hill past the vendors who sought shade under bright blue tarps and tents.

Before going into the museum, we loitered outside and took a picture of an artist's rendition of Dr. Keil, who looks upon visitors with a wooden eye.

"I think Dr. Keil recognized that the outside world was very important," Townsend said. "He thought to bring the railroad through to help the economy, and had a store that traded with the public. He would appreciate the fact that the city has an active historic review board to maintain the integrity in the historic buildings, and that the city recognizes that these buildings are really precious."

Maybe even the busy highway through the center of town wouldn't bother him.