One Of Several Buildings In Aurora
Another Of Aurora's Buildings
While searching for water and game, a prospecting party discovered gold and silver quartz ledges
in the area in 1860. By 1861, despite the difficulty of obtaining lumber, the town of Aurora had an 8 stamp mill and over 2000 citizens.
Sam Clemens mined for gold in 1862, then worked in the stamp mill for $10 a week plus board. Sam sent lively sketches about life in Aroura to the
Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City. Clemens was eventually hired as a reporter for the Enterprise, where he ultimately adopted the
famous pen name, Mark Twain. By 1863, Aurora had twenty stores, a dozen hotels, 21 saloons, and two newspapers.
The population grew to 10,000.
The Only Remaining Mill
The Mining Company's Operations Building
Steve Looks Over Another Wooden Building
A Building On Its Last Leg
