Aurora, Nevada
Encyclopedia
Aurora is a ghost town
in Mineral County
in the western central part of the U.S. state
of Nevada
, approximately 22 mi (35.4 km) southwest of the town of Hawthorne
and three miles from the California
border.
Today the townsite is a far cry from what it once was, having gone through heavy damage from vandals over the years. After World War II many of the buildings were torn down for their brick.
The road leading into Aurora was once quite difficult to navigate except via four-wheel drive
, as often the winter snows and spring run-off rutted out the road in the canyon leading to the town. However, in recent years the operations of a nearby mine have improved the road so that even non-4WD vehicles can reach the town site.
by 1869. The town was governed by both California and Nevada until it was determined that the town lay entirely in Nevada. At one point it was simultaneously the county seat
of both Mono County, California and Esmeralda County, Nevada. Its California assemblyman was the speaker of the house while the Nevada legislative member was elected as president of the Nevada Territorial Legislature
.
The town cemetery
has suffered from vandalism over the years; the most notable destruction being the headstone of William E. Carder, a noted criminal and gunfighter who on the night of December 10, 1864 was "assassinated" by a man whom he had threatened in the preceding days. The headstone erected by his wife Annie was toppled by thieves who attempted to steal it, and broken into several pieces, where they now lie sunken into the ground.
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
in Mineral County
Mineral County, Nevada
Mineral County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2000 census, the population was 5,071. In 2009, it was estimated to have dropped to 4,662. Its county seat is Hawthorne.-History:...
in the western central part of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, approximately 22 mi (35.4 km) southwest of the town of Hawthorne
Hawthorne, Nevada
Hawthorne is a census-designated place in Mineral County, Nevada, United States. The population was 3,311 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Mineral County...
and three miles from the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
border.
Today the townsite is a far cry from what it once was, having gone through heavy damage from vandals over the years. After World War II many of the buildings were torn down for their brick.
The road leading into Aurora was once quite difficult to navigate except via four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
, as often the winter snows and spring run-off rutted out the road in the canyon leading to the town. However, in recent years the operations of a nearby mine have improved the road so that even non-4WD vehicles can reach the town site.
History
The town was founded in 1860, and at one point had a population of around 10,000. Aurora's mines produced $27 million worth of goldGold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
by 1869. The town was governed by both California and Nevada until it was determined that the town lay entirely in Nevada. At one point it was simultaneously the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of both Mono County, California and Esmeralda County, Nevada. Its California assemblyman was the speaker of the house while the Nevada legislative member was elected as president of the Nevada Territorial Legislature
Nevada Territorial Legislature
The Nevada Territorial Legislature was established in 1861 after the establishment of the Territory of Nevada.- History :The first Legislature passed a bill entitled An Act to Prohibit Gambling....
.
The town cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
has suffered from vandalism over the years; the most notable destruction being the headstone of William E. Carder, a noted criminal and gunfighter who on the night of December 10, 1864 was "assassinated" by a man whom he had threatened in the preceding days. The headstone erected by his wife Annie was toppled by thieves who attempted to steal it, and broken into several pieces, where they now lie sunken into the ground.
External links
- Aurora at GhostTowns.com
- Nevada Atlas and Gazetteer, 2001, pg. 51
- Details on the California-Nevada border dispute of the 1860s
- Horse-drawn hearse in Aurora, Nevada
- Pictures of Aurora from its heyday to 2004
- http://contentdm.library.unr.edu/cdm4/results.php?CISORESTMP=results.php&CISOVIEWTMP=item_viewer.php&CISOMODE=thumb&CISOGRID=thumbnail,A,1;title,A,1;subjec,A,0;descri,200,0;none,A,0;20;relevancy,none,none,none,none&CISOBIB=title,A,1,N;subjec,A,0,N;descri,200,0,N;none,A,0,N;none,A,0,N;20;relevancy,none,none,none,none&CISOTHUMB=20%20(4x5);relevancy,none,none,none,none&CISOTITLE=20;title,none,none,none,none&CISOHIERA=20;subjec,title,none,none,none&CISOSUPPRESS=1&CISOTYPE=link&CISOOP1=all&CISOBOX1=aurora&CISOFIELD1=covera&CISOOP2=all&CISOFIELD2=subjec&CISOBOX2=&CISOOP3=all&CISOFIELD3=descri&CISOBOX3=&CISOOP4=all&CISOFIELD4=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOBOX4=aurora&c=all&CISOROOT=allHistoric photos and maps of Aurora]