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Aurora is a town in Sevier County, Utah, United States. The population was 947 at the 2000 census. Aurora was founded in 1875 by Ezra White and three other families along the banks of the Sevier River. Aurora's settling came under the direction of Brigham Young. He called on families to settle South Central Utah. Originally named Willow Bend, the name was changed to Aurora due to the presence of the Northern Lights. The town was moved west two to three miles along the Rocky Ford Canal to avoid the spring flooding accompanied life along the Sevier. This location also enabled significant cultivation of the foothills. Those families that settled the region often left comfortable surroundings of Northern Utah to settle what one original resident described as a desolate region without a green tree in sight. Over time however, settlers planted crops, trees, and utilized irrigation to create a very beautiful and livable community. Nestled in the fertile Sevier Valley, Aurora slowly grew as greater numbers of settlers moved west. While growth occurred more rapidly in the accompanying communities of Salina and Richfield, Aurora grew largely due to the settling of children of many of the large families in the town. Most current residents are able to track their lineage to one of the four founding families of the town. Aurora is predominantly supported by agriculture, coal mining, and the service sector. Most residents commute to one of the neighboring communities to work. Children are schooled in Salina at one of the three public schools. Current growth in the community is attributed to the growth of business and industry in the region. Research Tips
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