AURORA

aurora, a city of lawrence county, missouri, u.s.a., 275 m. s.w. of st louis, on the st louis & san francisco, and the st louis, iron mountain & southern railways. pop.(1890) 3482; (1900) 6191; (1910) 4148. it is situated near a lead and zinc mining region, where surface lead was discovered in 1873 and systematic mining began in 1887; among the cities of the state it is second to joplin in mineral importance, and has large iron-works and flour-mills; mining machinery also is manufactured. farming and fruit-growing are carried on in the surrounding country, and aurora is the place from which the products are shipped. aurora was platted in 1870 and was chartered as a city in 1886.