City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning
ArapahoeAs of the census of 2000, there were 487,967 people, 190,909 households, and 125,809 families residing in the county. The population density was 608 people per square mile . There were 196,835 housing units at an average density of 245 per square mile...
,
AdamsAdams County is the fifth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the county population was 441,603 in 2010 census, a 21.4% increase since 2000 census. Adams County is named for Alva Adams, Governor of the...
, and
DouglasDouglas County is the eighth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado, in the United States. The county is located midway between Colorado's two largest cities: Denver and Colorado Springs...
counties in
ColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. Aurora is an eastern suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area (Metro Denver). The city is the
third most populous cityThe U.S. state of Colorado currently has 271 active incorporated municipalities, including 196 towns, 73 cities, and two consolidated city and county governments.-Municipal government:...
in the Colorado and the
56th most populous city in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The city had a population of 325,078 in the 2010 Census. Denver and Aurora are the principal cities of the Denver Metropolitan Area which in 2007 had an estimated population of 2,464,866. (
22nd most populous MSAIn the United States a metropolitan statistical area is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are not legally incorporated as a city or town would be, nor are they legal administrative divisions like...
) However, Denver and Aurora combined make up less than half of the Metro Denver Area's population and Aurora has approximately half the population of Denver. The estimated population of the Metropolitan Denver was 2,998,878 in 2007(
15th most populous CSAThe United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
).
History
Aurora originated in the 1880s, as the town of Fletcher, taking its name from Denver businessman
Donald FletcherDonald Fletcher was a real estate tycoon in Colorado in the late 19th century.He was born in Cobourg, Ontario, Canada, in 1849. His family moved to Chicago, Il when he was a child. He later attended New York University, Knox College and Union Seminary. In 1879, at the age of 30, he moved to...
who saw it as a real estate opportunity. He and his partners staked out four square miles east of Denver, but the town - and Colorado - struggled mightily after the Silver Crash of 1893. At that point Fletcher skipped town, leaving the community with a huge water debt. Inhabitants decided to rename the town Aurora in 1907, after one of the subdivisions composing the town, and it slowly began to grow in Denver’s shadow becoming the fastest-growing city in the United States during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Rather aptly, a city of hundreds of subdivisions thus carries the name of one of the original development plats from which it sprang.
Although Aurora has long been considered by many only as one of Denver's larger
suburbThe word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
s, its growing population in recent decades (now over half the size of the City of Denver) has led to efforts for co-equal recognition with its larger neighbor. A former mayor 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 districtA central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
in the city. Aurora is largely suburban in character, as evidenced by
the city’s modest collection of tall buildings.
A large military presence has existed in Aurora since the early 20th century. In 1918, Army General Hospital #21 (later re-named 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 BaseLowry Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in the cities of Aurora and Denver, Colorado. Its primary mission throughout its existence was Air Force technical training and was heavily involved with the training of United States Army Air Forces bomber crews during World...
was opened in 1938, straddling the border of Aurora and Denver. It eventually closed in 1994, and was redeveloped into a master-planned community featuring residential, commercial, business and educational facilities. In 1942, the Army Air Corps built Buckley Field, which over the course of history has been renamed Naval Air Station, Buckley Air National Guard Base and finally
Buckley Air Force BaseBuckley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Aurora, Colorado, that was established by the U.S. Army in 1943. The base was named in honor of the World War I Army pilot 1LT John Harold Buckley.-Overview:...
. The base, home of the
460th Space WingThe 460th Space Wing is located at Buckley Air Force Base, east of Aurora, Colorado. Since the 460th was redesignated on 1 October 2004, the wing has delivered global infrared surveillance, provided worldwide missile warning and tracking for homeland defense purposes, and provided expeditionary...
and the
140th WingThe United States Air Force's 140th Wing is a fighter unit of the Colorado Air National Guard, located at Buckley AFB, in Aurora, Colorado....
Colorado Air National Guard, is Aurora's largest employer.
World attention focused on Aurora for seven weeks during the fall of 1955, as President
Dwight D. EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
recovered from a heart attack at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center. The hospital is also the 1943 birthplace of 2004 Democratic presidential candidate
John KerryJohn Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
. Decommissioned in 1999, the facility is part of the
Anschutz Medical CampusThe University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is one of two campuses of the University of Colorado Denver. It is located in Aurora, Colorado...
of the
University of Colorado DenverThe University of Colorado Denver, shortened as CU Denver, UC Denver, or UCD, is a public university in the United States state of Colorado. It is one of three schools of the University of Colorado system. The university has two campuses — one in downtown Denver at the Auraria Campus, and the other...
, and the
Fitzsimons Life Science DistrictThe Fitzsimons Life Science District is a redevelopment of the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center.-See also:*Anschutz Medical Campus*University of Colorado Denver*University of Colorado Hospital*Fitzsimons Army Medical Center...
. The Anschutz Medical Campus also includes the
University of Colorado HospitalUniversity of Colorado Hospital is the principal teaching hospital for the University of Colorado Denver, located in Aurora, Colorado.In the most recent U.S. News and World Report hospital rankings, UCH ranked in the top 50 for 7 of 16 medical specialities.In 2005, UCH was redesignated by the ...
, which moved to Aurora from Denver in 2007, and the Children's Hospital. These facilities will employ a workforce of 32,000 at build-out.
In 2004, Aurora was honored as the
Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
magazine's 50th Anniversary "Sportstown" for Colorado because of its exemplary involvement in facilitating and enhancing
sportA Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s. The city attracts more than 30 regional and national sports tournaments annually to Aurora's fields, which include the 220 acre (0.8903092 km²) Aurora Sports Park opened in 2003. 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 CavalryThe Aurora Cavalry is a defunct basketball team from the International Basketball League. They were based in Aurora, Colorado and played only one season in 2006. The team played its home games in a local high school gymnasium.-Cavalry Players:...
in the
International Basketball LeagueThe International Basketball League is a professional men's spring basketball league featuring teams from the West Coast, Rocky Mountains, Western Canada, and the Midwest. In 2010 the Albany Legends became the first team in the Northeastern United States...
, began play in 2006 but folded by seasons end due to budget mishaps.
Aurora is split among three counties and lies distant from the respective county seats. A
consolidated city and county governmentIn United States local government, a consolidated city–county is a city and county that have been merged into one unified jurisdiction. As such it is simultaneously a city, which is a municipal corporation, and a county, which is an administrative division of a state...
was considered in the mid-1990s but failed to win approval by city voters. The issue was reconsidered in 2006.
ColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
voters created the City and County of Denver in 1902 and the City and County of Broomfield in 2001. A consolidated city and county of Aurora would likely include areas not within the current city limits, but the new city-county boundaries would be set, restricting future expansion.
In 2008, Aurora was designated an All-America City by the National Civic League.
Geography
Aurora is located at 39°41′45"N 104°48′29"W (39.695887, -104.808101). The city's official elevation, posted on signs at the city limits, is 5471 feet (1,667.6 m). However, the city spans a difference in elevation of nearly 1000 feet (304.8 m). The lowest elevation of 5285 feet (1,610.9 m) is found at the point where
Sand CreekSand Creek is a tributary that flows into the South Platte River near Commerce City, Colorado. From its source in unincorporated Arapahoe County, it flows through Aurora and Denver before joining the South Platte in Adams County....
crosses the city limit in the northwest corner of the city, while the highest elevation of 6229 feet (1,898.6 m) is on the extreme southern border of the city in Douglas County, near the intersection of Inspiration and Gartrell roads.
As of the 2000 Census, the city had a total area of 142.7 square miles (369.6 km²), of which 142.5 square miles (369.1 km²) was land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), or 0.17%, was water. By 2009, the city had grown to 154.3 square miles (399.6 km²), nearly exactly the same size as Denver 154.9 square miles (401.2 km²).
Aurora experiences a semi-arid climate (
Köppen climate classificationThe Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk
).
Transportation
Aurora straddles Interstate 70, Interstate 225 and the
E-470E-470 is a 46-mile limited-access tollway traversing the eastern portion of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area in Colorado. The toll road is not a state highway, but is instead maintained by the E-470 Public Highway Authority.-Route description:...
beltway. The Regional Transportation District's
light railLight rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
transit system was extended to serve the southwestern edge of Aurora on November 17, 2006. The
H LineThe H Line , part of the light rail system operated by the Regional Transportation District in the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area in Colorado, was added to the system on November 17, 2006, with the completion of the Southeast Corridor project...
stops at Aurora's
DaytonDayton is an island platformed RTD light rail station in Aurora, Colorado, United States. Operating as part of the H Line, the station was opened on November 17, 2006, and is operated by the Regional Transportation District....
and
Nine MileNine Mile is an island platformed RTD light rail station in Aurora, Colorado, United States. The station was opened on November 17, 2006, and is operated by the Regional Transportation District. As part of the H Line, it is the current terminus for Southeast Corridor trains traveling along...
Stations; a comprehensive network of feeder buses in southern Aurora serve the latter. An extension of light rail along I-225 through the city is planned to connect with a commuter rail line between downtown Denver and
Denver International AirportDenver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel...
(DIA), both scheduled for completion by 2017 (see
FasTracksFasTracks is a twelve-year, $6.5 billion public transportation expansion plan for the Denver-Aurora and Boulder metropolitan areas in Colorado, USA, developed by the Regional Transportation District...
). Much of Aurora is more convenient to DIA than Denver itself. This proximity is a factor in the expected growth of the E-470 corridor directly south of DIA, projected to eventually accommodate 250,000
additional Aurora residents.
Education
Primary and secondary education:
- Aurora Public Schools
The Adams-Arapahoe 28J School District, more commonly known as the Aurora Public Schools, is the public school system in Aurora, Colorado, United States...
- Cherry Creek Public Schools
- Douglas County School District
The Douglas County School District Re. 1 is a school district that serves Douglas County, Colorado. It is the third-largest school district in Colorado, serving more than 61,000 students with 70+ schools....
(The Rocking Horse neighborhood is located within this district)
- Bennett
The town of Bennett is a Statutory Town in Adams and Arapahoe counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the town had a population of 2,536 in 2005...
Public Schools (Undeveloped land in Aurora that extends east of Monaghan Road, north of County Line Road and south of 72nd Avenue falls within this district)
- Brighton
Brighton is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado, and the county seat of Adams County. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 31,380 in 2008.-Geography:...
Public Schools (The Highpoint at DIA neighborhood is located in this district)
Post-secondary and career education:
- Columbia College–Aurora
- Regis University
Regis University is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic, Jesuit university in the United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1877, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
- University of Colorado Denver
The University of Colorado Denver, shortened as CU Denver, UC Denver, or UCD, is a public university in the United States state of Colorado. It is one of three schools of the University of Colorado system. The university has two campuses — one in downtown Denver at the Auraria Campus, and the other...
at the Anschutz Medical CampusThe University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is one of two campuses of the University of Colorado Denver. It is located in Aurora, Colorado...
- Colorado Community College System
The Colorado Community College System consists of 14 community colleges across the state of Colorado. Created by legislation in 1967, it serves more than 116,000 students annually...
- Community College of Aurora
The Community College of Aurora is a community college located in Aurora, Colorado. It is part of the Colorado Community College System. CCA serves over 10,000 students annually at its CentreTech Campus in Aurora, Colorado, Lowry Campus at Lowry, Denver, and through online classes...
- Pickens Technical College
- For-profit school
For-profit education refers to educational institutions operated by private, profit-seeking businesses....
s
- Anthem College
- Concorde Career College
- Platt College
Platt College is a private, two-year college in Aurora, Colorado....
- University of Phoenix
The University of Phoenix is a for-profit institution of higher learning. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo Group Inc. which is publicly traded , an S&P 500 corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona...
Government
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 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.
Neighborhoods
Aurora is composed of dozens of neighborhoods, districts and (current and former) military installations. Among them:
- Aurora Heights
- Aurora Highlands
- Aurora Hills
- Aurora Knolls
- Beacon Point
- Berkshire Village
- Brookvale
- Buckley Air Force Base
Buckley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Aurora, Colorado, that was established by the U.S. Army in 1943. The base was named in honor of the World War I Army pilot 1LT John Harold Buckley.-Overview:...
- Carriage Place
- Chadsford
- Chaddsford Village
- Chambers Heights
- Chelsea
- Conservatory
- Corning
- Crestridge
- Cross Creek
- The Dam East
- Del Mar
- The Dam West
- Eastridge
- Fitzsimons Campus
- Fox Hill
- Greenfield
- Hallcraft's Village East
- Hampton Hills
- Havana Heights
- Heather Ridge
- Heritage at Eagle Bend
- Highpoint
- Hillside at Del Mar
- Hoffman Heights
- Hutchinson Heights
- Jackson Farm
- Kingsborough
- Lowry Campus (formerly Lowry Air Force Base
Lowry Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in the cities of Aurora and Denver, Colorado. Its primary mission throughout its existence was Air Force technical training and was heavily involved with the training of United States Army Air Forces bomber crews during World...
)
- Meadowood
Meadowood is a subdivision of Aurora, Colorado, in the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area. It is bordered by South Buckley Road to the east, East Yale Avenue to the north, South Chambers Road to the west and East Hampden Avenue to the south....
- Mission Viejo
Mission Viejo is a subdivision of Aurora, Colorado, in the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area. It is bordered by Buckley Road to the east, Hampden Avenue to the north, Chambers Road to the west and Quincy Avenue to the south....
- Morris Heights
- Murphy Creek
- Original Aurora (the Fletcher townsite, Aurora's "downtown")
- Peoria Park
- Pheasant Run
- Piney Creek
- Ptarmigan Park
- Queensborough
- Quincy Hill
- Rocking Horse
- Saddle Rock
- Settler's Village
- Serenity Ridge
- Seven Hills
- Shenandoah
- Stapleton
Stapleton International Airport was Denver, Colorado's primary airport from 1929 to 1995. At different times it served as a hub for TWA, People Express, Frontier Airlines and Western Airlines as well as a hub for Continental Airlines and United Airlines at the time of its closure.In 1995 Stapleton...
(a portion of the redevelopmentInfill in its broadest meaning is material that fills in an otherwise unoccupied space. The term is commonly used in association with construction techniques such as wattle and daub, and civil engineering activities such as land reclamation.-Construction:...
of Denver's former airport lies in Aurora, directly north of Original Aurora)
- Sienna
- Smoky Hill 400
- Smoky Ridge
- Sterling Hills
- Stricker's House
- Summer Valley Ranch
- Tallgrass
- Tallyn's Reach
- The Timbers
- Tollgate Run at Kingsborough
- Tollgate Village
- Tuscany
- Village East
- Waters Edge
- Wheatlands
- Willow Trace
- Woodgate
- Woodrim
Demographics
As of the 2010 Census, there were 325,078 people, 121,191households, and 73,036 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,939.6 people per square mile (748.9/km²). There were 131,040 housing units at an average density of 766.7 per square mile (296.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.12% White, 15.74% African American, 4.94% Asian (1.1% Korean, 0.8% Vietnamese, 0.6% Filipino, 0.5% Chinese, 0.5% Indian, 0.2% Japanese, 0.1% Cambodian, 0.1% Burmese, 0.1% Nepalese, 0.1% Pakistani, 0.1% Indonesian), 0.95% Native American, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 11.6% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 5.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.7% of the population; 21.9% of Aurora is Mexican, 1.0% Salvadoran, 0.7% Puerto Rican, 0.4% Guatemalan, 0.3% Honduran, 0.3% Peruvian, and 0.2% Cuban.
There were 121,191 households out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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 2.60 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.32% under the age of 18, 6.82 from 18 to 24, 37.59% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.94% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 100.48 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 incomePer capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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
According to the Aurora Economic Development Council, the largest public employers in the city are:
| # |
Employer |
Employees |
| 1 |
Buckley Air Force BaseBuckley Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Aurora, Colorado, that was established by the U.S. Army in 1943. The base was named in honor of the World War I Army pilot 1LT John Harold Buckley.-Overview:...
|
12,100 |
| 2 |
Anschutz Medical Campus The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is one of two campuses of the University of Colorado Denver. It is located in Aurora, Colorado...
|
6,360 |
| 3 |
University of Colorado Hospital University of Colorado Hospital is the principal teaching hospital for the University of Colorado Denver, located in Aurora, Colorado.In the most recent U.S. News and World Report hospital rankings, UCH ranked in the top 50 for 7 of 16 medical specialities.In 2005, UCH was redesignated by the ...
|
4,050 |
| 4 |
Aurora Public Schools The Adams-Arapahoe 28J School District, more commonly known as the Aurora Public Schools, is the public school system in Aurora, Colorado, United States...
|
4,020 |
| 5 |
Cherry Creek Schools |
3,820 |
| 6 |
City of Aurora |
3,740 |
| 7 |
Community College of Aurora The Community College of Aurora is a community college located in Aurora, Colorado. It is part of the Colorado Community College System. CCA serves over 10,000 students annually at its CentreTech Campus in Aurora, Colorado, Lowry Campus at Lowry, Denver, and through online classes...
|
510 |
According to the Aurora Economic Development Council, the top 10 largest employers in the city are:
| # |
Employer |
Employees |
| 1 |
The Children's Hospital (Aurora, Colorado) |
4,100 |
| 2 |
Raytheon Company |
2,200 |
| 3 |
Kaiser PermanenteKaiser Permanente is an integrated managed care consortium, based in Oakland, California, United States, founded in 1945 by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and physician Sidney Garfield...
|
1,690 |
| 4 |
ADT Security Services ADT Security Services, originally American District Telegraph, now also known as simply ADT, is a division of Tyco International and a worldwide supplier of electronic security systems, fire alarm systems, communication systems, and integrated building management systems.-History:There were many...
|
1,600 |
| 5 |
HealthONE Colorado HealthONE is the largest healthcare system in metro Denver area with 8,500 employees and 3,000 affiliated physicians. Named Colorado’s “Best Company for Working Families” .-Affiliated hospitals and medical centers:...
: The Medical Center of AuroraThe Medical Center of Aurora serves Aurora, Colorado and the eastern Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area with three separate campuses providing a wide range of health care services. It was founded in 1974 and currently employs more than 1,200 people, and is part of , the largest health care system...
|
1,480 |
| 6 |
Northrop GrummanNorthrop Grumman Corporation is an American global aerospace and defense technology company formed by the 1994 purchase of Grumman by Northrop. The company was the fourth-largest defense contractor in the world as of 2010, and the largest builder of naval vessels. Northrop Grumman employs over...
|
920 |
| 7 |
Lockheed Martin Corporation |
810 |
| 8 |
Staples |
800 |
| 9 |
Beverage Distributors Co. |
600 |
| 10 |
Advantage Security, Inc. |
580 |
Other significant businesses include
Mexicana de AviaciónFounded in 1921, Compañía Mexicana de Aviación, S.A. de C.V. was Mexico's oldest airline, before ceasing operations on August 28, 2010. The group's closure was announced by the company's recently installed management team a short time after the group filed for Concurso Mercantil and US Chapter 15...
, and the
Aurora Mental Health CenterThe Aurora Mental Health Center, located in Aurora, Colorado, is a private, nonprofit community mental health center founded in 1975 by local citizens. The Center is currently a $22 million organization. They have more than 400 employees, many of who are current or former clients. Services are...
.
Attractions
The city of Aurora manages more than 1800 acres (7.3 km²) of developed park land, more than 6000 acres (24.3 km²) of open space and natural areas, and seven award-winning municipal golf courses (Aurora Hills, Centre Hills Par 3, Meadow Hills, Murphy Creek, Saddle Rock, Springhill and Fitzsimons). Aurora also is home to several privately owned golf courses including Blackstone Country Club, CommonGround Golf Course, Heather Ridge Country Club, Heritage Eagle Bend Golf and Country Club, John F. Kennedy Golf Course 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 acres (202,343 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.
DeLaney Farm, site of Aurora's famous historic round barn, has 130 acre (0.5260918 km²) of open space, trails with access to the High Line Canal, an organic garden, and two structures on the National Register of Historic Places. The
Plains Conservation CenterThe Plains Conservation Center an outdoor education facility and state-designated natural area located in Colorado. Its motto is to preserve Colorado's prairies, educate children about Colorado's eco-history, and nurture conservation efforts. The center comprises two sites totaling approximately ...
, with 1100 acres (4.5 km²) of native shortgrass prairie, hosts a variety of educational programs.
Twenty-two 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, and Lowry Building 800, the interim headquarters for the U.S. Air Force Academy from 1955 to 1958.
The Aurora Fox Theatre & Arts Center, another historic landmark, is a 245-seat performing arts facility in Downtown Aurora's new Arts District.
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. The Aurora Symphony Orchestra, a community orchestra established more than 30 years ago, offers a full season of full orchestra concerts annually as well as smaller chamber ensemble performances.
Notable natives and residents
- Tim Allen
Tim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement...
- actor
- William L. Armstrong
William Lester "Bill" Armstrong is an American businessman and politician. He is member of the Republican party and was a United States Representative and Senator from Colorado. Armstrong was born in Fremont, Nebraska...
- former U.S. Representative and Senator
- Scott Bentley
Scott L. Bentley is a former American football kicker in the National Football League. He played parts of four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, the Denver Broncos, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Washington Redskins. He was also a member of the 2001 World Bowl Champion Berlin Thunder of NFL...
- professional football player
- Michael D. Brown
Michael DeWayne Brown was the first Undersecretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response , a division of the Department of Homeland Security . This position is generally referred to as the director or administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency . He was appointed in January 2003 by...
- former Federal Emergency Management AgencyThe Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
Director
- Zachery Ty Bryan
Zachery Ty Bryan is an American actor and producer best known for his role as Brad Taylor on the American sitcom Home Improvement.-Personal life:...
- actor
- Dwayne Carswell
Dwayne Carswell is a retired American football tight end and offensive lineman who played from 1994-2005 for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League. He was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Broncos in 1994...
- professional football player
- Larry Coyer
Larry Coyer is the former defensive coordinator for the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts. Prior to holding this position, he was the Assistant head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Defensive Coordinator for the Denver Broncos.-Private life:Coyer was born in Huntington, West...
- professional football coach
- T.J. Cunningham - former professional football player
- Danny Dietz
Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Danny Phillip Dietz Jr. of Littleton, Colorado was a U.S. Navy SEAL who was posthumously awarded the United States' 2nd highest citation for valor, the Navy Cross, on 13 September 2006.-Biography:...
- U.S. Navy SEAL
- Madhuri Dixit
Madhuri Dixit is an Indian film actress who has appeared in Hindi films. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, she established herself as one of Hindi cinema's leading actresses and most accomplished dancers. She appeared in numerous commercially successful films and was recognised for several of...
- BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
actress
- Penny Flame - screen name of Jennifer Ketcham, pornographic actress turned blogger
- Maggie Flecknoe
Maggie Flecknoe is a Texas-based actress, Radio Personality, and voice actress for ADV Films and Seraphim Digital...
- radio personality and voice actress
- Michael Garcia - former Colorado legislator
- Eddie Gill
Eddie Gill is an American professional basketball player. He is a 1.84 m point guard.Gill went undrafted after a college career at Salt Lake Community College and Weber State University...
- professional basketball player
- Foolish Things
Foolish Things is a Rock/Alternative/Christian rock band previously signed with Inpop Records.-History:The band took their name from 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise"....
- alternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band
- Freddy Glick
Fred Glick is a former collegiate and professional American football safety who attended Colorado State University. Glick played two seasons in the NFL, with the Chicago Cardinals in 1959, then went to St. Louis, along with the team, when it relocated in 1960...
- former professional football player
- John Grahame
John Gillies Mark Grahame is currently the goaltender coach for the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL and is a former professional ice hockey goaltender who played most recently for the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League.-Playing career:Grahame played in the USHL for the Sioux City...
- professional hockey player
- H*Wood - rapper
- Bob Hagedorn
Bob Hagedorn is a Colorado legislator. A journalist by training, Hagedorn was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1992...
- Colorado legislator
- Michelle J. Howard
Michelle Janine Howard is an American Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. She currently serves as Chief of Staff to the Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, J-5, Joint Staff....
- Rear admiralRear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
in the United States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
- Matt Jordan
Matt Jordan is a former soccer goalkeeper. He is currently the Director of Soccer Operations for the Montreal Impact of Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
- professional soccer player
- Brian Kelly - professional football player
- John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
- U.S. senator and U.S. presidential candidate
- Daniel Kucera - retired bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Roman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
- Nate Marquardt - professional mixed martial arts fighter
- Aaron Moorehead
Aaron Matthew Moorehead is a retired American football wide receiver. He was originally signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played his entire 5 year career with the Colts including their SB XLI win over the Chicago Bears...
- professional football player
- Sean Moran
Sean Farrell Moran was an American football defensive lineman in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Rams, and the San Francisco 49ers. He played college football at Colorado State University. Moran attended Overland High School.-External links:...
- professional football player
- Jane Norton - Former Lieutenant Governor of Colorado
- Bill Owens - 40th Governor of Colorado
- Frank Peña
Francisco Peña was a Mexican-American professional boxer in the Welterweight division.-Amateur career:In 1989 Peña won the U.S...
- U.S. Amateur featherweight champion and retired professional boxer
- Aaron Pitchkolan
Aaron Pitchkolan is an American soccer player currently playing for the Puerto Rico Islanders in the North American Soccer League.-College:...
- professional soccer player for FC DallasFC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
of the Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
- Kayla Radomski - professional dancer
- Bill Ritter
August William "Bill" Ritter is an American politician of the Democratic Party, and was the 41st Governor of the state of Colorado, from 2007 to 2011. Before his election in 2006, he served as the district attorney for Denver...
- 41st Governor of Colorado
- Brendan Schaub
Brendan Peter Schaub is an American professional mixed martial artist and former professional football player for the AFL's Utah Blaze and as a member of the Buffalo Bills practice squad. He was a finalist and the runner-up of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights.-Biography:Schaub was...
- UFC Fighter in the HeavyweightHeavyweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Fighters who weigh over 200 pounds are considered heavyweights by the major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Association, the World Boxing Council, and the World Boxing...
division
- Senim Silla
Senim Silla is a hip hop soul artist from Pontiac, Michigan, best known for his role in the rap duo Binary Star-Biography:...
- Rapper
- Paul Smith
Paul Edward Smith was a collegiate and professional American football defensive end. Smith was selected in the 1968 Common Draft by the American Football League's Denver Broncos and played in the National Football League for the Broncos and Washington Redskins.Smith wore number 70 with the...
- former professional football player
- Billy Thompson - professional football player
- Tyler Toner
Tyler Toner is an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. He currently fights in the featherweight division.-WEC:Toner was scheduled to make his World Extreme Cagefighting debut against Brandon Visher on December 19, 2009 at WEC 45...
- professional mixed martial arts fighter
- Sean Tufts
Sean Tufts is a former American football linebacker in the NFL for the Carolina Panthers.-University of Colorado Football 2000–2003:...
- professional football player
- Tiffany Vise
Tiffany Vise is an American pair skater. Between 2003 and 2009, she competed with partner Derek Trent. On November 17, 2007, Vise & Trent landed the first clean throw quadruple salchow jump in international competition...
- professional ice skater
- Frank Weddig
Frank Weddig is an American politician from Aurora, Colorado. He was a Colorado State Senator from 1994 to 2000 and a State Representative from 2000 to 2004. He is currently an Arapahoe County commissioner. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
- state politician
- DaVarryl Williamson
DaVarryl Williamson is an American boxer originally from Washington, D.C., but later a resident of Aurora, Colorado. His ring nickname is "Touch of Sleep". He has a current professional record of 26-6, 22KO...
- former professional boxer
- Louis Wright - professional football player
- Brandon Quinn
Brandon Quinn is a television and film actor. He started his career in 1998 as Charlie Murphy in the film Express: Aisle to Glory....
- actor
- Najibullah Zazi
Najibullah Zazi is an Afghan-American who was arrested in September 2009 as part of the 2009 U.S. Al Qaeda group accused of planning suicide bombings on the New York City subway system, and has pled guilty as have two other defendants. U.S...
, convicted al-QaedaAl-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
member
Sister cities
The
Denver Regional Council of Governmentsthumb|240px|An enlargeable map of the Denver Regional Council of GovernmentsThe Denver Regional Council of Governments is a nonprofit, membership organization of local governments in the Denver region of the State of Colorado...
has established a "sister city" relationship with the
Baghdad Governorate, one of
IraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
's eighteen provinces.
Surrounding municipalities
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North: DenverThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
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West: DenverThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, CentennialThe city of Centennial is a Home Rule City located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States, and part of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area. The city was to have a total population of 100,377 in 2010 census. Centennial is the tenth-most populous municipality in the state of Colorado and its...
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Aurora |
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South: Greenwood Village The city of Greenwood Village is a prominent suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area and a Home Rule Municipality located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States...
, CentennialThe city of Centennial is a Home Rule City located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States, and part of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area. The city was to have a total population of 100,377 in 2010 census. Centennial is the tenth-most populous municipality in the state of Colorado and its...
,
FoxfieldThe town of Foxfield is a Statutory Town located in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The population was 746 at the 2000 census. The town is bordered by the cities of Aurora and Centennial.-Geography:Foxfield is located at ....
, ParkerThe Town of Parker is a Home Rule Municipality in Douglas County, Colorado, United States. As a self-declared "Town" under the Home Rule Statutes, Parker is the 2nd most populous town in the county, behind Castle Rock. In recent years, Parker has become a commuter town at the southeasternmost...
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See also
- Colorado cities and towns
- Colorado municipalities
The U.S. state of Colorado currently has 271 active incorporated municipalities, including 196 towns, 73 cities, and two consolidated city and county governments.-Municipal government:...
- Colorado counties
The U.S state of Colorado is divided into 64 counties. Counties are important units of government in Colorado since the state has no secondary civil subdivisions, such as townships...
- Colorado metropolitan areas
The metropolitan areas of the State of Colorado include the urban statistical areas defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget and regions of urban population defined by other organizations.-Census statistical areas:...
- North Central Colorado Urban Area
thumb|240px|An enlargeable map of the 13-county North Central Colorado Urban AreaThe North Central Colorado Urban Area comprises the four contiguous metropolitan statistical areas in the north central region of the State of Colorado: the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area, the Boulder...
- Front Range Urban Corridor
The Front Range Urban Corridor is an oblong region of urban population located along the eastern face of the Southern Rocky Mountains in the U.S. states of Colorado and Wyoming. The corridor derives its name from the Front Range, the mountain range that defines the west central boundary of the...
- Aurora Sentinel
The Aurora Sentinel is the brand of newspapers serving the city of Aurora, Colorado. Both a weekly and daily product carry the Sentinel banner, as well as The Buckley Guardian, serving the area's military community.-History:...
, the local newspaper
External links