Aurora Town and mines
Location In Mineral County, Hard place to get to. Open pit mine is constantly changing the roads in the local area. Approach Aurora from the north by the Esmeralda open pit mine. 38 16.67n 118 51.63w Aurora Quad
Mineral gold
History At one time one of the largest cities in Nevada with a population of 10,000, it was county seat for Esmeralda County, NV and Mono County, California, until surveyors got their act together. In 1860, prospectors in search of game and water discovered gold, and a camp was established a mile west on Gregory Flats, named Esmeralda. A town site was platted a month later, named Aurora, and by the spring of 1861 there were 2000 inhabitants and an eight stamp mill. Claimed by both Nevada and California, the town prospered to the point of attracted a young Samuel Clemens, who worked in one of the mills. By 1863 there were 10,000 people and 16 mills pounding ore. In the fall, surveyors finally fixed the boundary, and Mono County officials moved to Bodie. By 1865 the towns population was halved due to stock manipulation and speculation; and buy 1869 surface workings were exhausted. In 1882 Aurora lost it's post office and the county seat to Hawthorne. During the boom of the early 1900's, the camp was rejuvenated and the post office returned, but by 1919 it was gone for good. After World War Two, brick scavengers removed much of what was left standing, reducing Aurora to less than a shell of its formal self. For more info go here to this site.