Historical Markers
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Self-guided · principal city, Colorado

History Adventures for Kids in Aurora, CO

Short, active outings built for children, where each stop is a place to find, a story to hear and a badge to earn.

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Photo: Brad Rucker on Unsplash

Aurora is one of the cities the Denver–Aurora–Centennial, CO metro area is officially named after. The roadside signs most drivers never slow down for are the cheapest day out in the country, and each one has a longer story behind it than the plaque has room for.

Children looking at an exhibit in a museum - history adventures for kids
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A child in a purple vest looking over a stone wall at a valley - history adventures for kids
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Young girl hikes on a rocky forest path - history adventures for kids
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On the record near Aurora, CO

The 12 nearest

385 listed historic sites on the record within 30 miles of Aurora, CO.

  1. Smith, William, House1.1 miles from the center of Aurora · Building · Aurora · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
  2. Jamaica Primary School1.6 miles from the center of Aurora · Building · Aurora · listed 2017National Register of Historic Places
  3. Wilson, S.A., Elementary School1.6 miles from the center of Aurora · Building · Colorado Springs · listed 2017National Register of Historic Places
  4. Gully Homestead1.7 miles from the center of Aurora · Building · Aurora · listed 1986National Register of Historic Places
  5. DeLaney Barn1.7 miles from the center of Aurora · Building · Aurora · listed 1989National Register of Historic Places
  6. Robidoux, M.J. Lavina, House2.2 miles from the center of Aurora · Building · Aurora · listed 2011National Register of Historic Places
  7. Wilson, Blanche A., House2.2 miles from the center of Aurora · Building · Aurora · listed 1996National Register of Historic Places
  8. Fuller, Granville, House2.4 miles from the center of Aurora · Building · Aurora · listed 2012National Register of Historic Places
  9. Commandant of Cadets Building, US Air Force Academy2.5 miles from the center of Aurora · Building · Aurora · listed 2007National Register of Historic Places
  10. Photography and Armament School Buildings, Lowry Air Force Base3.6 miles from the center of Aurora · Building · Denver · listed 2002National Register of Historic Places
  11. Lowry Field Brick Barracks3.6 miles from the center of Aurora · Building · Denver · listed 1998National Register of Historic Places
  12. Chapel No. 13.7 miles from the center of Aurora · Building · Denver · listed 1982National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Aurora, CO. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Kids History Adventures in Aurora, step by step

  1. 1

    Set the area and the list of markers to find

  2. 2

    Split into teams or go solo, with the map open

  3. 3

    Find each marker and answer one question from its story

  4. 4

    Photograph the marker to prove the find

  5. 5

    Count the badges and pick a harder hunt for next time

What people in Aurora, CO ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Aurora, CO?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

How close does a site have to be to show up here?

The list is sorted by straight-line distance from the center of Aurora, CO and covers sites out to about sixty miles. Most people find several within a short drive, and in older towns a few within walking distance.

Can I visit the sites that are private homes?

You can see them from the street, which is how most listed houses are meant to be enjoyed. Please do not walk onto the property or knock unless the site is open to visitors.

How a visit works in Aurora

  1. Step 1

    Find the place

    Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Aurora, CO the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.

  2. Step 2

    Read the story

    The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.

  3. Step 3

    Get there under your own power

    Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Aurora, CO are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.

  4. Step 4

    Collect it and come back

    Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.

The rules that make it work

The record comes first

Every site on these pages comes from a published register or marker program, with its source named. Nothing is listed that is not on the record.

Read the whole story

A marker is a few lines on a post. The story behind it is longer, and it includes the hard parts. Both are worth the stop.

Movement makes it stick

People remember the places they walked to. A route through five markers teaches more than fifty marker pages read on a couch.

Local beats famous

The marker two streets over usually has a better story than the one in the guidebook, and nobody else is standing in front of it.

Respect the ground

Many sites are private homes, working churches or cemeteries. View from the public way, follow posted hours, and leave it as you found it.

Every visitor can improve it

Markers go missing, get moved, or carry mistakes. A photo or a location fix from the person standing there is how the record stays right.

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