Aurora, Indiana
Aurora is a city of 3,648 people in Dearborn County, Indiana, founded in 1819.
Why visit Aurora
Townapedia lists 20 museums and landmarks, 6 parks and trails, 7 places to eat and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Laughery Creek Bridge, Leive, Parks and Stapp Opera House, Aurora City Hall and George Street Bridge.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 19°F.
Weather in Aurora
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Aurora
Aurora is a city in Dearborn County, Indiana, United States. The population was 3,479 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Aurora, Indiana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Laughery Creek Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Bridge
Leive, Parks and Stapp Opera House
Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Former theater in Aurora, Indiana, United States
Museums and landmarks20
Aurora City Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic city hall in Aurora, Dearborn County, Indiana
218 Third Street, Aurora
George Street Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Road bridge in Indiana, United States of America
Hillforest
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic house in Indiana, United States
213 5th Street, Aurora
Levi Stevens House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Aurora, Indiana, NRHP-listed
122 Fifth Street, Aurora
Lewis Hurlbert, Sr. House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic home located at Aurora, Dearborn County, Indiana
412 Fifth Street, Aurora
Aurora Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Public library in Aurora, Indiana
Boone County Distillery Superintendent's House and Guest House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Historic house in Kentucky, United States
Daniel S. Major House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic house in Indiana, United States
Dearborn County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
County courthouse in Indiana, United States of America
Donald Barger House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Historic house in Kentucky, United States
Downtown Aurora Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic district in Indiana, United States
Downtown Lawrenceburg Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic district in Indiana, United States
8 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
Restaurants and cafes7
Papa John's
Fast food · Pizza · 1.4 mi
1076 West Eads Parkway, Lawrenceburg
Mo-Th 10:15-23:00; Fr-Sa 10:15-24:00; Su 10:15-23:00
History
Aurora was platted in 1819. It was named for Aurora, the goddess of dawn in Roman mythology. Aurora was incorporated as a town in 1822 and became a city in 1848, though some sources say 1845.
Aurora is known for its historic downtown area and the ornate Hillforest mansion built for Thomas Gaff who earned his fortune shipping goods on the Ohio River by steamboat. The mansion was designed by architect Isaiah Rogers and was completed in 1855 in the Italian Renaissance style. The design is symmetrical. Details include deep overhangs, arched windows and balconies and porches. Hillforest was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1992.
Aurora was once a sundown town, a place unwelcoming to non-whites after dark. The Aurora Journal reported on September 9, 1937, a reader's concern about a sign posted along the river that read, "Don't Let the Sun Set on You in Aurora" with the inclusion of a common racial slur for a Black person. The article concluded, "The sign has been down for some time, but the idea still holds good."
From the History section of Aurora, Indiana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship6
Christian Meeting House
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
First Evangelical United Church of Christ
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
First Methodist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
First Presbyterian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Hamline Chapel United Methodist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Saint Mary's Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 1.3 mi
203 4th Street, Aurora
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Map of Aurora
60 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 19°F | 3.4 in |
| Feb | 41°F | 22°F | 3.0 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 30°F | 3.9 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 39°F | 5.0 in |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 4.9 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 58°F | 4.7 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 62°F | 4.1 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 60°F | 3.5 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 53°F | 3.3 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 41°F | 3.3 in |
| Nov | 52°F | 32°F | 3.3 in |
| Dec | 41°F | 24°F | 3.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Milan 5 Ne (10 mi away), rain and snow from Aurora 3.9 W, NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Dearborn County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-08-25: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2026-08-15: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-04-03: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-05-04: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Francisville 10 mi east, about 16 min by car
- Burlington 10 mi east, about 17 min by car
- Cleves 11 mi northeast, about 18 min by car
- North Bend 11 mi northeast, about 17 min by car
- Miami Heights 12 mi northeast, about 20 min by car
- Mack 13 mi northeast, about 21 min by car
- Oakbrook 13 mi southeast, about 21 min by car
- Grandview 13 mi northeast, about 21 min by car
- Harrison 14 mi northeast, about 23 min by car
- Florence 15 mi east, about 24 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Aurora-indiana-from-above, Unknown author, Public domain
- 20170424 05 Aurora, Indiana, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- George Street Bridge in Aurora, Nyttend, Public domain
- Aurora Public Library, Indiana, Nyttend, Public domain
- 20170424 08 Aurora, Indiana, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20170424 07 Aurora, Indiana, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20170424 17 Aurora, Indiana, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20170424 15 Aurora, Indiana, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20170424 14 Aurora, Indiana, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20170424 11 Aurora, Indiana, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- 20170424 12 Aurora, Indiana, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Aurora, Nyttend, Public domain
- 20170424 16 Aurora, Indiana, David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
- Aurora First Methodist Church, Nyttend, Public domain
- City hall in Aurora, Indiana, Nyttend, Public domain
- Aurora First Presbyterian Church, Nyttend, Public domain
- Levi Stevens House in Aurora, Nyttend, Public domain
- First Evangelical United Church of Christ, Aurora, Nyttend, Public domain
- DonaldBargerHouse, Photo by Greg Hume ( Greg5030 ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hamline Chapel United Methodist Church, Nyttend, Public domain
- ChristianMeetingHouse, Photo by Greg Hume ( Greg5030 ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Veraestau, J. Marshall Davis, Public domain
- FarmersBankPetersburg, Photo by Greg Hume ( Greg5030 ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- ProspectFarm, Photo by Greg Hume ( Greg5030 ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Daniel S. Major House, Nyttend, Public domain
- BooneCoDistillerySupt, Photo by Greg Hume ( Greg5030 ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- High and Vine in Lawrenceburg, Nyttend, Public domain
- Vance-Tousey House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Dearborn County Courthouse from the east, Nyttend, Public domain
- Laughery Creek Bridge Dearborn County Indiana, Jack Boucher, Public domain
- River View Cemetery graves, Nyttend, Public domain
- Leive, Parks and Stapp Opera House, Nyttend, Public domain
- George Sutton Medical Office, Nyttend, Public domain
- 87j280 Lischkge Boat Harbor (8162313425), William Alden from Louisville, Kentucky, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Lewis Hurlbert, Sr. House, Nyttend, Public domain
- 87j282 IGA River Supply boat (8162338254), William Alden from Louisville, Kentucky, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Thomas Gaff House (Hillforest), Cédric Boismain from France, CC BY 2.0
- Jenkins-Berkshire House, Nyttend, Public domain
- Boone County Distillery Superintendent, Douglas Klein, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ryle's Super Market and Oddfellows Building, Douglas Klein, CC BY-SA 3.0
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