Joseph McCarty, a pioneer from NY, came west seeking a new home. In the Fox Valley, he built a campfire in April 1834 on the island, which is now the site of downtown Aurora. He thought that the location was an ideal place for a new community & told his
brother. It wasn’t
long before
Samuel arrived, family was sent for & a permanent settlement was taking roots. The settlement was named McCarty mills for the brothers’ grist mill & sawmill. In 1837, when a PO was est., the village became Aurora, goddess of the dawn. The city was the 1st in the
United States to use electric lights for publicly lighting the entire city, it achieved the nickname of “City of Lights”.
The
camp of 1834 has grown into a city. With a population of 198K according to the 2010 census, the city has steadily grown throughout the years to become the 2nd largest city in IL.
The city is accessible on 5 exits on Interstate 88. Corporate offices & commercial growth on the cities east & west sides continue to expand the city’s boundaries, now stretching from IL 59 on the east to portions beyond Orchard Rd on the west. The Far East Side of the city includes Fox Valley Mall, residential areas & is projected to
house 60,000
people within the next 20 years. The city extends into 4 counties,
Kane, DuPage, Kendall, & Will. There are 6 school districts & 7 townships covered within the city limits. There are 4 historic districts & a large number of individual landmark designations for many of the city’s buildings.
