When I started working at the Aurora Public Library District (APLD) nine years ago, I had little knowledge of the city of Aurora. Over the course of my time with the Library, I have learned greatly of the community, the different school districts, and significant figures such as Marie Wilkinson and Ryan Dowd. To learn more, I spent some time getting to know the collections in the Emma and Robert Wegman Local History Room at the Santori Library on River Street and I was amazed with the wealth of information and history available.
Upon entering the Local History Room, named after the Wegmans (longtime residents of Aurora and history lovers), you’ll encounter file drawers full of newspaper clippings organized by topic such as Aurora businesses, social, and civic, organizations, industries, arts, and entertainment, and City information. Want more information about the Blues on the Fox music festival? There’s a file for that. Interested in the history of the Sencenbaugh & Co. dry goods store? There are articles from its grand opening, and then from the closing of the store 101 years later. I learned that the first kitten show was held in Aurora in 1914 on Mrs. Blanche Watson’s front lawn because there is a whole file on Cat Shows in Aurora! In case you were wondering, the kittens were mostly Persian and came from Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana for the show. In addition to the physical clippings, the Local History room retains an extensive collection of local newspapers on microfilm, which includes the Beacon-News from 1848 to the present.
If you were interested in where Mrs. Blanche Watson lived, you could look her up in the directory. Our collection of historical city directories runs from the 1850s to the present. These volumes function similarly to a telephone book. Each book contains an alphabetical listing of Aurora residents in the pertinent year along with information about spouses and occupations.. Looking for information about those who lived in your home? From the 1895/1896 edition onward, there is a section at the back of each directory that allows you to look up addresses by street to see who occupied the premises at that time.
Looking for a copy of an old yearbook? We’ve got those, too! Our collection includes yearbooks from various Aurora area colleges, high schools, and junior high schools. The Library owns most volumes from East Aurora High School, Waubonsie Valley High School, and West Aurora High School. You’ll find newspaper clippings organized by school with events and news at the time. I found an account of three visitors who were locked inside the newly-built Young school in 1875. They had to yell out a window for help until a boy heard their cry and found assistance. Near the school files are the Special Collections with miscellaneous items of historical significance donated over the years. The most notable of these is the Wilkinson Family Collection which includes more 1,800 photographs and a variety of personal regalia.
Each month you’ll find an exhibit highlighting different items within the collection. There is an exhibit from the 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago! There are photos, programs, and souvenirs, from Aurora residents who attended the fair. You may view the virtual exhibit on the Genealogy and Local History webpage www.aurorapubliclibrary.org/local-history. All are welcome to have the experience of the rich history of Aurora by scheduling an appointment to the Emma and Robert Wegman Local History Room!