Flood damage cleanup in South East Village is no easy task, let me tell you! Water Damage Repair in Downtown Aurora n Same-Day Response . It's not just about mopping up water and calling it a day. No, its much more than that. It involves a careful process of assessing, cleaning, and restoring (or at least trying to) the affected areas.
When floodwaters invade homes, they dont just bring water. Oh no, they bring dirt, debris, and sometimes even nasty little critters you didnt invite over! Homeowners often find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer extent of the damage. Its not just the soggy carpets or the soaked furniture; its the hidden damages that cause the most headaches. Mold, for instance, loves damp places and can spread surprisingly fast if not dealt with promptly.
The first step in any flood damage cleanup is to ensure everyones safety. You wouldnt want anyone getting hurt by hidden dangers, like electrical hazards or unstable structures. Once thats sorted, it's all about removing the water. It sounds simple, but it aint!
Flood Damage Cleanup in South East Village - Insurance Water Damage Help Aurora IL
4. water extraction machine
Pumps, vacuums, and all sorts of equipment come into play here.
5. Water removal near Uptown Aurora
Now, here's where it gets tricky. You cant just dry everything out and call it a day. Oh no, materials like wood and drywall can hold moisture for a long time, and if theyre not thoroughly dried, mold will surely take hold. Mold can start growing within 24 to 48 hours after water exposure, which is kinda scary if you think about it.
After drying, its time to clean and sanitize. Floodwaters can be contaminated with all sorts of unpleasant things, so its essential to disinfect everything. This isnt just to remove dirt but to eliminate any bacteria or germs that mightve been carried in by the water. It's a tedious job, but someone's gotta do it!
Restoration is the final step, and it's not always possible to bring things back to their original state. Sometimes, things are too damaged and need replacing. (It's a sad reality, but it happens.) Furniture, flooring, and even walls might need to be replaced. It's costly and time-consuming, but necessary for ensuring a safe living environment.
In South East Village, the community often comes together to help each other out during such disasters. Its heartwarming to see neighbors lending a hand, sharing resources, and offering support. After all, it's in times of crisis that the strength of a community truly shines.
So, while flood damage cleanup is no walk in the park, the spirit of togetherness and resilience makes the process a bit more bearable.
Flood Damage Cleanup in South East Village - 5. Water removal near Uptown Aurora
8. Simmons Farm
9. “moisture detection”
Eco-Friendly Water Damage Repair Aurora IL
Let's hope we dont have to deal with too many floods in the future, but if we do, at least we know (with certainty) that we won't face it alone.
About Aurora, Elgin and Fox River Electric Company
Ground floor plan of Aurora’s depot and coal power plant, as reported in 1891.
Predecessor companies opened service in 1895 between Carpentersville and Elgin; in 1896 between Elgin and St. Charles and Aurora and Geneva; in 1899 between Aurora and Yorkville; and in 1901 between St. Charles and Geneva. In the era 1901-1906 it was known as the Elgin, Aurora & Southern Traction Company.[1][2][3]
The EA&S merged with the Aurora Elgin & Chicago Railway in 1906 and became the new Aurora Elgin & Chicago Railroad's Fox River Division. The company was separated by order of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in 1923, when the Fox River Division assumed the AE&FRE name, and the rest of the AE&C (the Third Rail Division) became the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad.[1]
Service typically operated on one-hour headways between Elgin and Aurora, with connecting service between Carpentersville and Elgin, and between Aurora and Montgomery.[citation needed][4][5]
The diesel used on the line, the AE&FRE #5, at the Fox River Trolley Museum in 2024.
Passenger service ended March 31, 1935, except on a short stretch of track used by the CA&E in St. Charles and Geneva, where passenger service ended December 31, 1937. Freight service continued on a 3-mile (4.8 km) stretch of the line between Coleman Yard (at the junction with the Illinois Central Railroad Iowa Division) to supply coal to the powerhouse at Elgin State Hospital. This service operated under electric power until 1947, and by diesel until 1972. At that time, the remnant of the line was sold to its current museum operators. Rail remaining between the current museum site in South Elgin and the State Hospital was removed in 1978.[1][6][7]
By 1900 both Elgin and Aurora had electric streetcars on lines radiating out from downtown. Elgin had 12 miles (19 km) of track, the downtown area was double tracked in the 1920s. Aurora had 18 miles (29 km), with double track in most of the downtown area by 1900. Aurora’s lines were often “through routes”, entering downtown on one line and exiting on another.[8][9]
Since 31 March 1935, when rail passenger service was discontinued, routes in Aurora have changed, by 2013 under successor Pace little of the early city lines remained. In Elgin, by contrast, most streetcar lines are now part of longer bus routes.[a][10]
The interurban line left Elgin going south on State Street (Route 31[b]), past the State Hospital (a.k.a. Asylum)(mile 1.8), then down the side of LaFox Street through Clintonville/South Elgin (mile 3.1). Curving east onto private right of way the line went through the freight interchange at Coleman (mile 4.5)[c], across the river on its own bridge, and continued south to an intersection with Fifth Avenue in St. Charles. Street running started there, south to Main Street, then west across the river to Third Street, and south again into Geneva on Anderson Boulevard. At State Street the line turned east and went to Third Street (Chicago Junction[d], mile 11.6), where it turned south, then east, jogged south on Route 31, then onto private right of way between Route 31 and the river. A mile further south the line returned to Route 31, Batavia Avenue, street running through Batavia (mile 14.6), then on the east shoulder through North Aurora to the Aurora city limits. In Aurora the interurban used the Lake Street streetcar line on to the terminal.[11][12]
In 2013 Pace Route 801 Goes from Elgin to Geneva, although largely on a more western alignment. From Geneva to Aurora Pace Route 802 follows the original interurban line very closely.[10]
By 1900 most Fox River area lines shared management, city car orders were often divided between Aurora and Elgin.
Lists include AE&FRE, predecessors EA&S and AE&C, as well as city systems in both Aurora and Elgin.[13][14][15]
Most city cars were single trucked “Birney” style, although a few double trucked cars were used.
On arrival cars 48, 50-97, bought by AE&FRE, replaced most older cars.
The Elgin and Belvidere Electric Company left Elgin from the end of the Edison Street line at Wing Street, going 36 mi (58 km) west through the small towns of Huntley and Marengo to Belvidere, and a 14-mile (23 km) run through connection to Rockford. With 9 passenger and 2 express cars they scheduled 19 trains each way with an hourly headway. Opened in 1907, it was the last to be closed to passenger service, in 1930.[19]
The Chicago, Aurora and DeKalb Railroad connected to the Aurora city system at Plum and View Streets, and went 28 miles (45 km) west through Kaneville to DeKalb. 3 passenger and 2 express cars made 9 trains each way in a day on a 90-minute and 3-hour schedule. Opened in 1905 with light steam equipment, it was electrified by 1910, and closed in 1923.[20]
The Fox and Illinois Union Railway left Yorkville (where it also connected with the C.B.&Q) and ran 20 miles (32 km) straight south through Newark to Morris. Opened in 1914, two passenger cars ran 5 trains each way in a day. Grain was the major part of its freight traffic. Passenger service ended in 1924 but freight, converted to gas-electric in 1931, continued until 1937.[21]
The Aurora, Plainfield and Joliet Railroad left Aurora on the Parker Avenue line and ran 22 miles (35 km) southeast through Plainfield to Joliet. Eight passenger cars operated 17 trains each way in a day, and 3 streetcars provided local service in Joliet. First opened in 1903, it was converted to 5 Pierce-Arrow buses in 1924.[22]
^Examples in 2013 include the east side “Dundee” line, part of Pace Route 543, and west side “Highland” line, part of Pace route 549.
^ By 1940 Illinois had designated Route 31 running north and south along the west side of the Fox River. For convenience this modern number is used here.
^ The section of track between the State Hospital and the Coleman interchange continued in use until 1972.
^The section of track between Fifth Avenue and Chicago Junction was used by AE&C then CA&E shuttle cars until 1937, after the rest of the interurban service had been discontinued.
^
Plachno, Larry (1986). Sunset Lines The Story of the Chicago Aurora, & Elgin Railroad: v.1: Trackage. Transportation Trails. pp. 127, 131. ISBN0-933449-02-X.
C.E.R.A. (1961). Bulletin 105: The Great Third Rail. Central Electric Railfans' Association.
Peffers, Hopkins Stolp (1993). Aurora-Elgin Area Street Cars and Interurbans: Fox River Division. Vol. 1. American Slide-Chart.
Peffers, Hopkins Stolp (1993). Aurora-Elgin Area Street Cars and Interurbans: Aurora, Elgin & Fox River Electric Company. Vol. 2. American Slide-Chart.
Peffers, Hopkins Stolp (1993). Aurora-Elgin Area Street Cars and Interurbans: The Connecting Lines. Vol. 4. American Slide-Chart.
The Aurora Regional Fire Museum is an educational institution located in Aurora, Illinois, US. Its purpose is to preserve and exhibit the artifacts and history of fire departments in Aurora and the surrounding area, as well as to teach and promote fire safety and prevention.[1]
The museum was established in 1966, originally in the basement of Fire Station 4, opening to the public in 1968. The museum now located in the old Central Fire Station of Aurora, which was built in 1894. It has bay windows, a decorative cornice, an "onion-dome" and was asserted to be 'a model of its kind' when it was completed. It was used as a fire station until 1980. The museum moved into the old Central Fire Station, where it remains to this day, in 1990. Renovations were carried out between 2000 and 2004 to restore the original 19th century facade.[2]
The museum features a range of interactive exhibits. The exhibits cover firefighting throughout history, including antique Fire engines from the 1850s and 1940s.[3] The museum also has a theater for community events.[4]
1918 American LaFrance fire engine, one of five historical appliances on exhibit
A large alarm gong that visitors may operate. One of the many hands-on exhibits in the Aurora Regional Fire Museum.
Founded in the early 1830s and incorporated in 1857, Aurora rapidly industrialized, becoming one of the first cities in the United States to adopt an all-electric street lighting system in 1881, earning it the nickname "City of Lights".[5] The arrival of major railroads, such as the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, further stimulated economic growth and positioned Aurora as a significant transportation and industrial hub in northern Illinois. Over time, the city diversified economically and demographically, reflecting broader suburbanization in the Chicago metropolitan area in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
View of Stolp Island historic buildings from Downer Place with architectural details, such as these terracotta tiles.
Before European settlers arrived, there was a Native American village in what is today downtown Aurora, on the banks of the Fox River. In 1834, following the Black Hawk War, the McCarty brothers settled on both sides of the river, but subsequently sold their land on the west side to the Lake brothers, who opened a mill. The McCartys lived on and operated a mill on the east side.[6] Aurora was established with the building of a post office in 1837.
Aurora began as two villages: East Aurora, incorporated in 1845[7] on the east side of the river, and West Aurora, formally organized on the west side of the river in 1854.[7]
Between 1850 and 1870 a wave of Luxembourgish immigrants settled in Aurora.[8] In 1857, the two towns joined, incorporating as the city of Aurora.[9] Representatives could not agree which side of the river should house the public buildings, so most of them were built on or around Stolp Island in the middle of the river.
The heavy industries on the East side provided employment for generations of European immigrants, who came from Ireland, Great Britain, Scandinavia, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Romania and Italy. Aurora became the economic center of the Fox Valley region. The combination of these three factors—a highly industrialized town, a sizable river that divided it, and the Burlington railroad's shops—accounted for much of the dynamics of Aurora's political, economic, and social history. The city openly supported abolitionism before the American Civil War. Mexican migrants began arriving after the Mexican Revolution of 1910. Socially, the town was progressive in its attitude toward education, religion, welfare, and women. The first free public school district in Illinois was established in 1851 here and the city established a high school for girls in 1855.
During this period in the city's history, Aurora was also hit with one of the strongest earthquakes ever to strike Illinois, a M 5.1, on May 26, 1909[16]
Later, the city developed as a manufacturing powerhouse which lasted until the early 1970s, when the railroad shops closed. Many other factories and industrial areas relocated or went out of business. By 1980, there were few industrial areas operating in the city, and unemployment soared to 16%.[6] During the late 1970s and early 1980s, development began in the Far East side along the Eola Road and Route 59 areas. This was financially beneficial to the city, but it sapped retail businesses downtown and manufacturing in the industrial sectors of the near East and West Sides, weakening them. In the mid-1980s crime rates soared and street gangs formed.
During this time Aurora became much more ethnically diverse. The Latino population grew rapidly in the city during the 1980s. In the late 1980s, several business and industrial parks were established on the city's outskirts. In 1993, the Hollywood Casino was built downtown, which helped bring the first redevelopment to the downtown area in nearly twenty years. In the late 1990s, more development began in the rural areas and towns outside Aurora. Subdivisions sprouted up around the city, and Aurora's population soared.
On February 15, 2019, police responded to an active shooter situation in west Aurora to find that a former employee at the Henry Pratt Company had opened fire on fellow employees after being terminated from the company. Five officers and several civilians were injured in the ensuing standoff, after which police entered the building and killed the shooter. The incident left six dead (including the gunman) and numerous others wounded. It was the first major shooting in the town's history.[24]
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Aurora has a total area of 45.91 square miles (118.91 km2), of which 44.97 square miles (116.47 km2) (or 97.94%) is land and 0.94 square miles (2.43 km2) (or 2.06%) is water.[25]
While the city has traditionally been regarded as being in Kane County, Aurora also includes parts of DuPage, Kendall and Will counties. Aurora is one of only three cities in Illinois that span four counties, the others being Barrington Hills and Centralia.)
Aurora is categorized as a hot-summer humid continental climate (KöppenDfa). The annual precipitation for Aurora is about 40 inches. The record high for Aurora is 111 °F (44 °C), on July 14, 1936. The record low is −31 °F (−35 °C), on January 16, 2009.[30] The average high temperature for Aurora in July is 83.5 °F (28.6 °C), the average January low is 12.6 °F (−10.8 °C).
On July 17–18, 1996, a major flood struck Aurora, with 16.94 inches (430 mm) of rain in a 24-hour period, which is an Illinois state record.[31] Flooding occurred in almost every low-lying area citywide, as well as localized river inundation with neighborhoods bordering the Fox River.
In 1990, the supercell thunderstorm that produced the deadly Plainfield Tornado passed over the city, dropping golf ball-sized hail and causing wind damage.[citation needed] Less than ten minutes after passing through Aurora, the storm produced an F5 tornado, which touched down in nearby Oswego, less than 5 miles from downtown. The tornado then traveled through Plainfield and Joliet, killing 29 people.
Climate data for Downtown Aurora, Illinois (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1887–present)
As of the 2020 census[39] there were 180,542 people, 65,128 households, and 47,579 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,932.26 inhabitants per square mile (1,518.25/km2). There were 62,763 housing units at an average density of 1,367.00 per square mile (527.80/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 40.63% White, 10.87% African American, 1.65% Native American, 10.97% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 20.73% from other races, and 15.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 41.53% of the population.
There were 65,128 households, out of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.31% were married couples living together, 14.65% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.95% were non-families. 21.39% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.71% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.56 and the average family size was 3.03.
The city's age distribution consisted of 28.2% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 29% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $74,659, and the median income for a family was $83,464. Males had a median income of $43,680 versus $30,572 for females. The per capita income for the city was $32,537. About 8.3% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.7% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
Aurora city, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
In 2008, reported major crimes in Aurora were at their lowest level in nearly three decades.[41][42] The Chief of Police attributed the drop to a number of factors but especially credited the hard work of the city's police officers and the increase in anti-gang priorities. Gang violence had reached a high in the 1990s, with the city averaging nearly 30 murders per year.[41][42] In 2008, Aurora only had 2 murders.[41][42] In July 2007, the Aurora Police Department and the FBI conducted "Operation First Degree Burn," a sweep that resulted in the successful arrest of 31 alleged Latin Kings gang members suspected of 22 murders dating back to the mid-1990s.[43] Aurora has also adopted programs such as CeaseFire to reduce gang violence and prevent youths from joining gangs. Aurora had 7 murders in 2016.[44]
Like other large Midwestern cities that once relied on manufacturing as an economic basis, Aurora has a large number of abandoned buildings and vacant lots, especially in older sections of the city. Efforts are ongoing to rehabilitate these areas.
Environmentally, Aurora has long dealt with pollution of the Fox River. The river was heavily polluted up until the 1970s by factories that had lined the river for over a century. Cleanup efforts have been successful with the help of state grants and volunteer efforts.[45]
Aurora is on the edge of the Illinois Technology and Research Corridor. The city has a long tradition of manufacturing as does much of Chicago metropolitan area. Prominent manufacturers, past and present include Lyon Workspace Products, The Aurora Silverplate Manufacturing Company, Barber-Greene Company, the Chicago Corset Company, the Aurora Brewing Company, Stephens-Adamson Company, Caterpillar Inc., Western Electric, Allsteel Metals, National Metalwares, and Western Wheeled Scraper Works (later Austin-Western Inc.). The most prominent employer and industry was the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (later Burlington Northern) which was headquartered in Aurora.
According to the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[46] the city's largest employers are:
Formed in 1987, the Aurora Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (AACVB) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to aggressively promoting and marketing the area as a premier overnight destination. The AACVB'S goal is to enhance the economic and environmental well-being of a region comprising ten communities: Aurora, Batavia, Big Rock, Hinckley, Montgomery, North Aurora, Oswego, Plano, Sugar Grove, and Yorkville.[citation needed]
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 that was the tallest building in Illinois outside of Chicago and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The largest collection of commercial buildings by Prairie School architect George Grant Elmslie is here. The main building of Aurora Public Library and a branch campus of Waubonsee Community College are also located downtown. The Riverfront Playhouse is a not-for-profit theater that has held a storefront location in downtown Aurora since 1978.[47]
Wayne's World (1992) is a comedy film set in Aurora, with characters developed from a skit on the television show Saturday Night Live. One of the authors was from neighboring Naperville, Illinois, and thought Aurora had the appropriate blue-collar feel desired. Most of the movie was filmed elsewhere, but some small sections were filmed on location in Aurora.[48] One scene shows the local White Castle. The film's sequel, Wayne's World 2, is also set in Aurora.
The Aurora Islanders/Blues/Foxes, a minor league baseball franchise, played from 1910 to 1915 in the Wisconsin-Illinois League. Their most famous player was Casey Stengel, who played one season with the team before being bought by the Brooklyn Dodgers. Stengel batted .352 and was the batting champion of the league for 1911; he also led the league with 50 stolen bases and had 27 outfield assists. The team played in a stadium on the west side in the former Riverview Park. He became known as a manager of baseball teams. Aurora University fields numerous teams that compete in NCAA Division III.
The city is home to Aurora University, two branches of Waubonsee Community College, and a branch of Rasmussen College. According to the 2022 Estimates for the American Community Survey, 79.1% of Aurora residents over the age of 24 pursued higher education.[53]
Starting in the 1860s, Aurora was served by two main school systems, one on either side of the Fox River, which physically divides the city. In the mid-20th century, the district on the western side of the river expanded to include the students in the village of North Aurora, including the North Aurorans on the east side of the Fox. Additionally, in 1972, the Indian Prairie School District (IPSD) 204 was formed to serve the far eastern portion of Aurora within DuPage County. All three 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 were at least forty public schools within Aurora city limits, serving residents of Aurora and neighboring communities.
Due to the city's size, these are not the only three school systems serving residents – some students in the far north end of the city (north of I88 in Kane County) attend Batavia public schools, some on the far southwest side attend Kaneland CUSD 302 schools (headquartered in Maple Park), and some students in the far south end of the city (a small corner of the Kane, Kendall and Will County portions) attend Oswego public schools. Four of the schools in Oswego CUSD 308, Wheatlands Elementary, Homestead Elementary, Wolf's Crossing Elementary, and Bednarcik Junior High are within Aurora's limits.
The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) is a state-funded residential magnet school for grades 10 to 12. While IMSA operates under public funds (and uses the site originally designated West Aurora High School North Campus), it is managed independently of Aurora's other public schools. Any Illinois student who meets admission requirements may apply to attend IMSA, tuition free. The above-named districts have forty-six public schools within the city limits of Aurora (seventeen for District #131, thirteen for District #129, eleven for District #204, four for Oswego District #308 and the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy).
Aurora is also home to other private schools. Within Aurora, there are three Roman Catholic High Schools, Aurora Central Catholic (Diocese of Rockford), Rosary, and Marmion Academy (Order of St. Benedict), and seven Catholic elementary schools operated by the Diocese of Rockford. Along with these three schools is Aurora Christian High School and Elementary School and Resurrection Lutheran School,[54] a Pre-K-8 grade school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Aurora is also home to Fox Valley Montessori School, one of the first Montessori schools established in Illinois in 1969, which offers a preschool and elementary program.
The Aurora Public Library includes the main library, two branches, an express center, a support facility and a bookmobile. The library operations budget is $10 million and the staff numbers 85 full-time and 89 part-time employees. The library was funded in 1901 through a Carnegie grant. The Santori Public Library, the main library, was opened in June 2015, and offers a 3D printer and a digital media lab in addition to standard book and media services.[55]
In addition to stations from Chicago service the city, the following stations are licensed to Aurora (though they transmit and are based in Chicago unless noted).
The Beacon-News is Aurora's oldest business, first published in 1846, and is part of the Tribune Publishing. The newspaper has two editions: the Aurora edition and the Kendall County edition. The Beacon-News has been recognized repeatedly by the Associated Press, Illinois Press Association, Northern Illinois Newspaper Association and the Chicago Headline Club as one of the best daily newspapers in Illinois.[56]
Aurora has long been a regional transportation hub. Aurora's transportation system connects its residents and visitors to neighboring towns and cities. The city is served by several major roadways, including Interstate 88 and Illinois Route 59, making it easily accessible by car. Additionally, Aurora offers various public transportation options, including two Metra commuter stops, Pace Bus services, and an expanding bicycle network.
The city is the final stop of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe line of the Metra commuter rail system, allowing rail service into Chicago. The city also has a stop at the Rt. 59 station on the BNSF Line. This station is on the border with Naperville and each city maintains a parking lot on their respective side of the tracks. The BNSF Railway owns and maintains a rail yard in Aurora, which they named Eola Yard.
Pace Suburban Bus operates local bus service in Aurora six days a week (no service on Sundays) and connects to cities and village such as Naperville, Geneva, Batavia, Oswego, and St. Charles. Pace Bus offers 6 fixed-route bus connections at the Aurora Transportation Center.[57] The City of Aurora also has two Pace On Demand service zones allowing riders to reserve a trip to anywhere within one of the On Demand Zones.[58] Aurora residents within Kane County are eligible to participate in the Ride in Kane transportation program, providing curb to curb bus or taxi service to individuals 65 and older, individuals with a disability, and those with low income.[59]
Aurora aims to be a bicycle-friendly community and promotes bicycling throughout the city. In July 2020, the City of Aurora partnered with Koloni to launch its new Fox Valley Bike Share program.[60] The city has also invested in bike infrastructure improvement projects, further expanding the network of bike lanes and multi-use paths. The completion of a bridge in 2021 over the Fox River in Aurora provides a safe and direct route for bicyclists and pedestrians from the Aurora Transportation Center to the Fox River Trail.[61]
Aurora does not have a stop for Amtrak trains, as the old station closed in the 1980s. The closest Amtrak station is in Naperville. Aurora City Lines, the old city bus lines, was closed in the late 1980s in favor of regional bus service. Greyhound buses used to stop at the Aurora Transportation Center, but service was discontinued on September 7, 2011.[62] Aurora also had an extensive streetcar system, operated by the Aurora, Elgin and Fox River Electric Company, that operated until 1972. Aurora was served by a number of interurban lines, the most prominent of which was the Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad which provided service into Chicago. The STAR Line would have included a third station at Ferry Rd. north of the BNSF Line.
^The Burlington Railroad operated passenger trains between Chicago and Aurora for over 100 years, since Aurora was an important suburb. See "Chicago-Aurora Centennial, 1864–1964" (Burlington Railroad, 1964).
^"Station: Aurora, IL". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
