Origins
Colony History
Between 1856 and 1883, nearly 600 people, almost all German and Swiss emigrants, established and lived in the Aurora Colony, a Christian communal society. The nineteenth century had seen many efforts at Utopian living, part of the Second Great Awakening that reflected a massive Romantic religious movement sweeping across England, Scotland, and Germany. Christian communal living in the Aurora Colony was carried out by individuals who were members of specific family groups, and this was notably unlike other Christian colonies.
Families
Fifty-four families have been identified as having been members of either the Bethel, Missouri or Aurora, Oregon colonies. Learn more about the people and families of the Aurora Colony that have been compiled from our available sources.
The Aurora Colony Historical Society preserves Colony buildings, artifacts, manuscripts and photographs.
Family history files maintained and updated
Family artifacts featured in exhibits
Books and research projects that explore family history
Relationships between Colony and non-Colony families researched
Houses & Buildings
The Old Aurora Colony Museum features several original buildings constructed by the Aurora Colony between 1856 and 1883. These buildings house furniture, tools, textiles, and household items either manufactured or purchased by the colonists.
The houses and buildings from the Aurora Colony represent perhaps the largest concentration of structures built by German craftsmen in the Pacific Northwest. Five buildings are part of the Old Aurora Colony Museum and most others can be viewed as part of a walking tour. In addition, the Aurora Colony Historical Society owns a Colony farmstead near Aurora that is used in education programs.
Archives, Documents & Research Resources
Personal photographs, letters, archives and items actually created or used by members of the Aurora Colony are organized by family group and are a major focus of research and interpretation.
ACHS maintains active family history files of Colony descendants including correspondence, family related research, photography files and lists of museum artifact donations. These files are open to qualified researchers.