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The original
subdivision of Aurora, Colorado encompassed only about a half
acre and was owned by a group of investors doing business as the
Colfax Trust Company circa 1890. In 1891, Donald Fletcher,
a Canadian formerly of Chicago incorporated the Aurora
Subdivision parcel along with other adjoining parcels to create
the Town of Fletcher. This newly formed town encompassed
approximately four square miles.
Fletcher himself
did not live in his town, choosing to remain in the mansion he'd
built for himself at 16th & Grant in Denver. The East
Denver Water Company, another of Fletcher's investments, was to
supply water for the town and Mr. Fletcher eventually convinced
the city to issue bonds to purchase the water plant.
Unfortunately, the plant was unable to supply the young city
with enough water and the ensuing chaos led Donald Fletcher to
withdraw all ties to the town he had founded. The water
fiasco left the small town with a legacy of legal and financial
woes for many years to come.
1896 - Water problems
cause the town to issue the first known water restrictions in
the state.
1900 - The town
makes deal with the Denver Union Water Company in which would provide Fletcher with water for its fire hydrants.
Town subsequently became so dependent on the
Denver-based water company that it accepted contracts which gave
the company control over the number of water taps that could be
issued, thereby limiting Aurora's growth through control of its
water supply.
1907 - Residents of the Town of Fletcher, Colorado
succeed in getting the town's name changed to Aurora, Colorado.
1916 - City of
Denver purchases Denver Union Water Company effectively
guaranteeing Denver's control
over Aurora's growth and water supply for forty more years (see
footnote).
By 1917 - Aurora
suffers financial difficulties and residents fear that Denver
will annex the town This fear was later alleviated when
the U.S. Army Hospital No. 21 project, which was within Aurora's
boundaries and which later became Fitzsimons Army Medical
Center, saved Aurora from annexation.
The
depression took it's toll on the outlook for the City.
Prices began to fall, area crops died, and the Aurora National
bank failed, sending it's President, T.F. Gilligan to
Leavenworth Prison for embezzlement. In the midst of all
of this, the Army announced its intention to close Fitzsimons
Army Medical Center. For Aurora, this move would have
spelled disaster for a town that relied heavily on the income
flushed into the local economy by the facility and its staff.
Congressman Lawrence Lewis came to Aurora's rescue, determined
to keep the facility open. He enlisted the support of
Democratic Representative Edward Taylor and General Douglas
MacArthur and the three fought to keep the medical facility
open. President Roosevelt was persuaded to visit the
facility during a 1936 campaign stop, a move that ultimately not
only saved the facility from closure, but actually gained
support for improvements to the facility.
1930's - Opening of new
Lowry Air Base facility brings new housing and another
boon to Aurora's economy.
1940's - Aurora population had grown to roughly 3,000 and Aurora was struggling
to find a way to make its population less transient. New flight training facility and airfield was
originally referred to simply as "Lowry 2" (later
called "Buckley Field") opens in Aurora.
1943 -
Establishment of the City's first zoning codes.
The notion of
forming an independent City & County of Aurora was
frequently raised during these years but was unable to
gain support from the Colorado General Assembly and failed.
The concept is, every so often, resurrected but never seems to
gain much support from either the residents of the city or the
Statewide community as a whole.
1959 - Lowry Air
Force Base is converted to a Technical Training Center in
(flight operations stopped entirely in the mid-1960's).
1995 - Fitzsimons Army Medical Center closed it's doors in 1995 and the
property was taken over by the University of Colorado as a
planned site for the University Health Sciences Center which was
previously located in Denver.
Current City Area: 144 square
miles (nearly all of which was
acquired through annexation)
Population: estimated
290,000 residents
The city's boundaries now extend into
three counties: Adams, Douglas, and Arapahoe.
Footnote: Aurora never
did manage to escape the problem of providing water to its
residents and today receives it's water supply from all over the
state.
Bibliography
Mehls,
Steven F.and Drake, Carol R.and Fell, James E. Jr. Aurora -
Gateway to the Rockies Cordillera Press; copyright 1985 by
The City of Aurora
McFadden,
Carl Vincent and Leona M. Early Aurora , copyright 1977
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