Aurora, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Aurora is a city in Lawrence County, Missouri
, United States
. The population was 7,014 at the 2000 census.
In the 1950s, there were two elementary schools in Aurora. Lowell School served the North Side (north of the railroad tracks) and Franklin School served the South Side (south of the railroad tracks). Teachers at Lowell School during that time included Miss Gardner, 1st Grade; Mrs. Lamen and Mrs. Holder, 2nd Grade; Miss Thompson, 3d Grade; Mrs. Eaton, 4th Grade; Mrs. Williams, 5th Grade; and Mr. Ray, 6th Grade. During the school year of 1957-58, a family named Perry, who were missionaries to what was then British Honduras (now Belize), spent their furlough year in Aurora, where Rev. Perry had family. His daughter, Jeannette, attended Lowell. Some other Lowell students that year included Freddie Barnes, Karen Ormsby, Elsie Dowell, Mary Jean Dobbins, Stanley Eden, Charles Bowling, Dennis Baldwin, Terry Walker, Stephen Conn, Danny Metcalf, Dennis Williams, Bobby and Johnny Beatty, Linda Hall, Ronnie Henson, Earl Van Beeck, Linda Dunning, Ronnie Baxter, Roger Kelly, Mildred Cantrell, Ronnie Childress, Eddie Becker, LaNetta Faye Coker and Mike McCullough.
Also during that time, Finis King was mayor, while a city councilman for the North Side was named Elderbeck. Ed Jaque and Herman Jackson, respectively, owned the only two stores on the North Side. Kenneth Kelsey was the medical doctor in practice on the North Side. The Methodist Church was located on the South Side, just off the public square, and the Pastor was Rev. Carlton Knight. On the main business street downtown, on the South Side, the Toff family owned a general store, and Mr. Neimeyer had a shoe repair business. The Sullivans owned a jewelry store. Dryer Shoe Store was also located there. Eldon McNatt had an insurance and real estate business on the square. There was a Wooten Drug Store. Dr. Brown was one of the local dentists. Mr. Pierce owned the lumber company. Mr. and Mrs. Everett Hall did a great deal of work with the local Boy Scout program. Bob Beatty worked at the U.S. Post Office as custodian. Virgil L. Walker, Jr. was the operator at the Frisco Railroad Depot. Fred Tucker was the projectionist at the Princess Theater. Fred McCullough worked for Empire District Electric Company. Junior Gaines worked at the Western Auto Store, which was also on the main business street on the South Side.
Both the Frisco Railroad (now part of the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe) and the Missouri Pacific (now part of the Union Pacific) had depots in Aurora, and did a big business there then.
The local newspaper was, and still is, The Aurora Advertiser.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²), of which, 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²) of it is land and 0.18% is water.
of 2000, there were 7,020 people, 2,818 households, and 1,865 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,278.7 people per square mile (493.3/km²). There were 3,093 housing units at an average density of 563.9 per square mile (217.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.68% White, 0.26% African American, 0.83% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 1.34% from other races
, and 1.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.71% of the population.
There were 2,818 households out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples
living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,118, and the median income for a family was $33,029. Males had a median income of $27,591 versus $17,603 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,410. About 14.4% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
is located two nautical miles (2.3 mi, 3.7 km) southeast of Aurora's central business district
.
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 7,014 at the 2000 census.
History
Between 1911 and 1920, the virulently Anti-Catholic newspaper The Menace was published in Aurora by W. F Phelps and Earl McClure. It achieved a national circulation of over one million, according to the March 1932 issue of American Mercury.In the 1950s, there were two elementary schools in Aurora. Lowell School served the North Side (north of the railroad tracks) and Franklin School served the South Side (south of the railroad tracks). Teachers at Lowell School during that time included Miss Gardner, 1st Grade; Mrs. Lamen and Mrs. Holder, 2nd Grade; Miss Thompson, 3d Grade; Mrs. Eaton, 4th Grade; Mrs. Williams, 5th Grade; and Mr. Ray, 6th Grade. During the school year of 1957-58, a family named Perry, who were missionaries to what was then British Honduras (now Belize), spent their furlough year in Aurora, where Rev. Perry had family. His daughter, Jeannette, attended Lowell. Some other Lowell students that year included Freddie Barnes, Karen Ormsby, Elsie Dowell, Mary Jean Dobbins, Stanley Eden, Charles Bowling, Dennis Baldwin, Terry Walker, Stephen Conn, Danny Metcalf, Dennis Williams, Bobby and Johnny Beatty, Linda Hall, Ronnie Henson, Earl Van Beeck, Linda Dunning, Ronnie Baxter, Roger Kelly, Mildred Cantrell, Ronnie Childress, Eddie Becker, LaNetta Faye Coker and Mike McCullough.
Also during that time, Finis King was mayor, while a city councilman for the North Side was named Elderbeck. Ed Jaque and Herman Jackson, respectively, owned the only two stores on the North Side. Kenneth Kelsey was the medical doctor in practice on the North Side. The Methodist Church was located on the South Side, just off the public square, and the Pastor was Rev. Carlton Knight. On the main business street downtown, on the South Side, the Toff family owned a general store, and Mr. Neimeyer had a shoe repair business. The Sullivans owned a jewelry store. Dryer Shoe Store was also located there. Eldon McNatt had an insurance and real estate business on the square. There was a Wooten Drug Store. Dr. Brown was one of the local dentists. Mr. Pierce owned the lumber company. Mr. and Mrs. Everett Hall did a great deal of work with the local Boy Scout program. Bob Beatty worked at the U.S. Post Office as custodian. Virgil L. Walker, Jr. was the operator at the Frisco Railroad Depot. Fred Tucker was the projectionist at the Princess Theater. Fred McCullough worked for Empire District Electric Company. Junior Gaines worked at the Western Auto Store, which was also on the main business street on the South Side.
Both the Frisco Railroad (now part of the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe) and the Missouri Pacific (now part of the Union Pacific) had depots in Aurora, and did a big business there then.
The local newspaper was, and still is, The Aurora Advertiser.
Geography
Aurora is located at 36°58′12"N 93°43′14"W (36.969956, -93.720574).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²), of which, 5.5 square miles (14.2 km²) of it is land and 0.18% is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,020 people, 2,818 households, and 1,865 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,278.7 people per square mile (493.3/km²). There were 3,093 housing units at an average density of 563.9 per square mile (217.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.68% White, 0.26% African American, 0.83% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 1.34% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race 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 1.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.71% of the population.
There were 2,818 households out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage 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, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,118, and the median income for a family was $33,029. Males had a median income of $27,591 versus $17,603 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per 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 $13,410. About 14.4% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
The Jerry Sumners Sr. Aurora Municipal AirportJerry Sumners Sr. Aurora Municipal Airport
Jerry Sumners Sr. Aurora Municipal Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located two nautical miles southeast of the central business district of Aurora, a city in Lawrence County, Missouri, United States...
is located two nautical miles (2.3 mi, 3.7 km) southeast of Aurora's central business district
Central business district
A 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"...
.
External links
- Aurora city website
- Historic maps of Aurora in the Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection at the University of MissouriUniversity of MissouriThe University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...