Aurora is a city located in Kane, DuPage, Will and Kendall counties in Illinois. While the city has traditionally been considered as being in Kane County, Illinois (and in fact its downtown is still entirely in that county), Aurora is one of only two cities in Illinois where the city limits actually cover parts of four counties (the other is Centralia, Illinois): Kane, DuPage, Kendall, andWill.
The city is the last stop of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Metra line, allowing regional rail service to Chicago.
The city refers to itself as "The City of Lights" because it was one of the first communities to adopt all-electric street lighting (in 1881 - the nickname was adopted in 1908).
Unlike its more homogeneous neighbors to the north and east, Aurora is widely divers, with everything from old factories to high-tech businesses.
Aurora's fast-growing far east side has placed Aurora neck-and-neck with neighboring Naperville for billing as Illinois' second-largest city.
Two main school systems have served the Kane County, Illinois core location of Aurora, Illinois since the 1860s, one on either side of the Fox River which physically divides the city. In addition, the far eastern portion of Aurora, within DuPage County, Illinois, has been served by Indian Prairie School District (IPSD) 204 since that district's formation in 1972. All three of these districts (Aurora Public Schools: West Side (District 129), Aurora Public Schools: East Side (District 131) and IPSD) have their headquarters and administrative offices within the Aurora city limits. As of 2005 there will be no less than forty public schools within Aurora city limits, serving residents of Aurora and neighboring communities.
The city is the location of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) and Aurora University. A non-profit organization Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple of Greater Chicago which is a major Hindu temple located near IMSA. Aurora also has its own zoo, Phillips Park Zoo. Aurora's downtown is full of architectural landmarks and historic places.
Downtown Aurora is home to the Paramount Theatre, a large live performance theater on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Hollywood Casino. There is also the Leland Tower, a former hotel which was the tallest building in Illinois outside the Chicago city limits. It is also on the National Register of Historic Places. Also located downtown is the main building of Aurora Public Library and a branch campus of Waubonsee Community College. Downtown Alive, a festival that includes live music and a variety of food booths, is held every Friday night in the summer. Roughly 8,000-10,000 people attend every Friday night. Downtown Aurora also hosts the annual Midwest Literary Festival during the second weekend in September. The Riverfront Playhouse is a not-for-profit theater that has held a storefront location in downtown Aurora since 1978.
Aurora has a rich history of entertainment. There were several theaters in the downtown area and several large community parks with baseball stadiums, circus acts, and race tracks. Aurora has had at least 20 theaters and playhouses in its existence.
Aurora currently has two hospitals, one on the west side, Provena Mercy Center, and one in Fox Valley, Rush-Copley Medical Center.
There are other area hospitals, including Edward Hospital in Naperville, Delnor Hospital in Geneva, Central DuPage in Winfield and a Level 1 Trauma center at Good Samaritan in Downers Grove.
Aurora is generally divided into three regions, though politically the city is divided into several wards.
The West Side is all of Aurora west of the Fox River.
The East Side,is the city east of the river excluding the DuPage County part.
Fox Valley, also referred to as the Far East Side is the DuPage County part of the city. This is a misnomer because the region is not on the Fox River. In fact, some parts lie in the DuPage watershed instead of the Fox watershed. It is nicknamed because of its proximity to Westfield Fox Valley Mall: one of the first housing developments to be constructed simultaneously with the mall in Aurora is the "Fox Valley Villages".
Housing Cost
Estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $186,900
Demographics
Estimated population in July 2006: 170,617. Aurora covers 38.5 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 676 feet above sea level.
Climate
Aurora, IL climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 84.20 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 10.50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 24 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 19 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Aurora is 38.39 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is July with an average rainfall of 4.39 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
