Aurora Springs

by Kelly Warman-Stallings

(Published to "Window to the Past" website 23 January 2021

In the northwestern section of Miller County, in Franklin Township, was once a town called Aurora Springs. It was incorporated as a village in 1881, with a population of 700. It was located 2 miles south of the newly organized hamlet of Eldon.

This town, once the largest in the county, received it’s popularity from the mineral springs which were discovered there.

In the late 1800s, W. A. Miller turned this small city into a resort town when he built the Aurora Springs Mineral Sanitarium. People from far and wide came to this place that was known as “The Greatest Sanitarium of the West”.

Not only was this town widely renowned for its famous resort, but it also housed the Miller County Academy [aka: Miller County Institute], a fairly large school. Many of the county’s ancestors attended this school and went on to become very prominent businessmen. The post office was established in 1882 and had mail delivered daily. The postmaster was James A. Stevens. A stagecoach was at the disposal of the residents and traveled daily to Jefferson City, the town’s shipping point. In 1885, land was sold for $10-$15 per acre and the following businesses were in operation:

Newspaper Mort McBride General Store J. M Duncan & W. A. Simmons

Business Proprietor Business Proprietor

Grocer Wellington Allen Cornet Band J. M. Duncan, Bandleader

Meat Market Edward Anderson Carpenter J. B. Crocker

Druggist Dr. G. M. Bandy Justice of the Peace William C. Downing

Livery Parker Bowman & John Parks Express Company Pacific Express

Saw & Flour Mill Andrew J. Cook Telegraph Office Western Union

Physician Dr. D. H. Allen Railroad/Telegraph Agent C. C. Crane

Notions G. W. Cook General Store John C. Driver

During 1885, there were four active churches in the vicinity: 2 Presbyterians, 1 Baptist and 1 Methodist. The Presbyterian churches were called Old School and Cumberland. The newspaper, owned by Mort McBride, was callesd the "Aurora Springs Autogram".

By the turn of the 20th century, this boom town had grown into a large, thriving city with the following businesses: at least 7 general stores, 2 hotels (The Virginia House & Aurora House), 2 saloons, 2 newspapers ( Autogram & Eldon Register), 2 doctors, 2 lawyers, 2 churches (Baptist & Congregational), several blacksmiths, a livery, express company, telegraph office, post office, flour mill, photographer, barber, lumberyard, shoemaker, tinsmith, livestock dealer, sanitarium and a college.

The town's demise began when the railroad was routed through Eldon and bypassed Aurora Springs completely. Ironically, the city of Eldon is now the largest town in Miller County and has practically claimed the land where Aurora Springs was once located. When the post office was discontinued in 1912, it wasn’t long afterwards that the town ceased to exist altogether. Today, a few homes and the Aurora Springs Baptist Church are located amid the wooded environs of this once-boisterous town that was Aurora Springs.

Ancestral Names: Allen, Anderson, Anthony, Bandy, Bowman, Bridges, Cook, Cotten, Crane, Crocker, Downing, Driver, Duncan, Fogelman, Franklin, Harvey, Hoover, Jobe, Kartz, Logan, Lumpkin, Lutman, Masterson, McBride, McClure, Miller, Moon, Parks, Peterson, Radley, Shelton, Siegel, Stevens, Stover, Taylor, Williams, Wright.

Addendum (2021):

At the height of its booming stage, the following businesses were also operating in Aurora Springs during the 1880s through the 1890s:

Aurora Springs - 1880s

Mineral & Sanitarium ------- William A. Miller

Wagonmaster --------------- Bridges & Siegel

Photographer --------------- Joseph Duncan

Railroad/Telegrapher Agent ----William C. Fritter

Carpenter -------------------- James Justice

Jeweler ---------------------- Alexander Klinger

Livestock Buyer ------------- Green McClure

Barber ------------------------Alonzo Masterson

Shoemakers ----------------- Henderson & Co.

Shoemaker -------------------William Radley

Sign Painter ------------------Frank C. Smith

Postmaster -------------------Dr. James A. Stevens

Milliner -----------------------Mrs. J. A. Stevens

Realtor ----------------------- Stover & Mansell

Tinsmith --------------------- James A. Williams

Lumber Company ----------- J. Peterson & Co.

Furniture Makers ------------ Hunter & Swartwood

Saloon ----------------------- Joseph Anthony; John W. Fogelman

Livery Stable ----------------- Anderson & Taylor; James H. Hagen

Grocer ----------------------- John K. Artz; J. T. Bills; Jasper McKinney

Blacksmith------------------- Andrew Bridges; Peter Siegel; John T. Sullens

Lawyer ----------------------- A. C. Harding; W. M. Lumpkin; John H. Stover

Physician -------------------- Dr. George W. Shelton; Dr. James A. Stevens

Grocer, Baker, Confectioner--- Herman L. Miller & William A. Miller (brothers)

Hotel ------------------------- .John M. Lutman (Virginia House); Edward Anderson (Aurora House)

General Store ---------------- James S. Franklin; Robert S. Harvey; James Jobe; J. Kartz; William Wright; Hugh Logan

Note: There was a third hotel owned by J. H. Moon and Noah Hoover.

Note: Alexander Klinger also owned shares in the nearby Tiff Mine.

The two known Protestant Churches operating during the 1880s was 1) Baptist (Rev. W. C. Downing) & 2) Presbyterian (Rev. Robert Morrison).

For further information, please visit: Aurora Springs and West Aurora