Join Between the Lines Book Club leader Ron Nicholson as he shares “The Secrets & Surprises in A Christmas Carol,” discussing the story’s origins and background, how it impacted how we celebrate Christmas today, and share some “insider” information. For example, did you know Tiny Tim’s name was originally planned to be Little Dick, that Dickens’ first idea for the book was to include “Ignorance” and “Want” as symbols against the so-called Poor Laws, or that Scrooge’s name came from a misreading of a tombstone in Scotland? Meet us at the Local History Library in the Old Aurora Train Depot on Second Street for a lively talk at 6:30 pm. We look forward to seeing you there!
Is Indiana haunted? You bet a field full of corn it is!
Come listen to podcasters Mary Ellen Quigley and Rebecca Wilhelm discuss Indiana’s spookiest myths and legends and their new book, Haunted Dearborn County, Indiana. Light refreshments will be provided.
This FREE program requires no registration and is open to all ages.
Mary Ellen and Rebecca will be visiting the Old Aurora Train Depot on October 21st at 1 pm.
Want to know more? Visit the Local History Library at the Depot anytime during their business hours and ask about the best ghost stories in the area!
BIG NEWS from our Local History Library @ The Depot… Literally!
All of our microfilm newsreels are now DIGITAL! You can now look through 184 years of local history as it was written in the news all those years ago. We now have digital access to the following titles:
Indiana Signal
Dearborn Democrat
Democratic Register
Indiana Whig
Western Republican
Independent Banner
Western Commercial
Aurora Standard
Aurora News
Aurora Commerical
Peoples Advocate
Saturday Bulletin
Dearborn Independent
Saturday News
Aurora Spectator
Aurora Bulletin
Aurora Journal
Aurora Journal-Bulletin
The Lawrenceburg Press
The Journal Press
The Dearborn County Register
See something you want to keep while scrolling through history? You can use the clipping feature to save an article or picture.
This entire service is completely free to all Aurora Public Library District patrons! For the first three years of this service, patrons can only access newsreels on our database in a library building when connected to the library’s wifi, but after the copyright embargo is lifted, all newsreels we have scanned will be available on any internet-capable device anywhere in the world! If you already have a Newspapers.com paid subscription, you can access them right now anywhere for free! The Aurora Public Library District would like to thank Newspapers.com for their assistance in this project and their generosity in helping to make this service free to our patrons.
Check out the site today on any internet-capable device in the Dillsboro, Aurora, or Local History Library in the Old Train Depot! Visit eapld.newspapers.com to get started.
Looking for local history outside the news? The Local History Library @ The Depot is open Tuesdays and Thursdays 12 pm-8 pm and Wednesdays 2 pm-6 pm. Come see us on the third Saturday of each month 10 am-3 pm too.
Join us for an evening of transportation history as historian Christopher Nelson discusses the life and legacy of C.R. Patterson.
C.R. Patterson, part of one of the first automobile companies in America, C.R. Patterson and Sons, developed precursors to some of the first working automobiles while also championing civil rights in post-Civil War America. Patterson became a transportation entrepreneur as an African American during an unkind time in America. He, along with a business partner, established their carriage business in Greenfield, OH, which was a stop on the same Baltimore & Ohio train line as Aurora’s depot. Hear more about this extraordinary man’s fascinating history at this FREE event! Light refreshments will be provided.
This historical talk will be at the Local History Library at the Depot on July 13th at 6 pm. We look forward to seeing you there!
Have you been missing the Local History Library at the Depot? We miss you too! The Local History Library has been closed indefinitely for the summer of 2022. While we miss your visits and questions about Aurora history, we’ve been making some BIG changes! The main room at the Local History Library is getting a massive makeover. We are painting the interior of the depot to restore it to its original color scheme of Indian Red and Brown to match the colors of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, on which our depot was a stop. We are also installing shelving handmade by local woodworkers Iron Timbers for our various paintings and photographs to be proudly displayed on our walls. There are plans to make the building more accessible for our handicapped patrons in the coming year. One of the most exciting updates to our building is the installation of model train tracks and trains along the walls. This will add to the ambience of our space and serve as a reminder of the original purpose of our beloved depot.
We have received many inquiries from our dedicated patrons about the Local History Library and its eventual reopening. Due to the changing nature of the situation, we cannot provide a concrete date at this time, but we are now setting our sights on January 2023 for our grand reopening. Once the depot is opened to the public, expect some changes in our services and approach to local history. We will always provide assistance with genealogy and family history, but our focus will be shifting towards a community-centered approach. The Local History Library will become a space where members of the community can gather and share ideas and experiences in our hometown. We want you to think of the Local History Library as a classroom, presentation space, and extension of the main library branch, providing you with the proper space to learn and grow in Aurora.
So, we hope to see you soon at the depot! If you have any questions about local history, genealogy, or the depot, please speak to a librarian or give us a call at 812-926-0646. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Join us on our Facebook page on Mondays at 5 PM all summer long to play our Local History Trivia! Every week we’ll post a trivia question about Aurora or Dearborn County history. Comment the correct answer on the post to be entered for a chance to win a gift card to a local business!
You have until noon the following day to answer! Please post one answer per question. If there is a tie, a random winner will be chosen. If an exact answer is not given, a winner may be randomly chosen from those whose answers are closest. Trivia is open to everyone. APLD employees and their family are not eligible for a prize. Winners will be notified via Facebook Messenger.
All gift cards were paid for by the proceeds of our book sale at the Dillsboro Library!
The Aurora Public Library District has big plans in store for the Local History Library! We know you miss the Depot, but the building needs to remain closed for the next three months to put our plans into action. So don’t worry, because we’ll be back before you know it!
Some projects we have planned for the Local History Library include reorganization of reference items for easier patron access, added shelving for reference items, added tables and chairs for programs and meetings, a fresh coat of paint, and an overall rearrangement of shelves, desks, and tables to make the most of the space. Our main goal is to increase the usability of the building and make the space more user friendly and versatile for you, our patrons! So stay tuned, because in August the Local History Library is reopening for all your research, local history, and genealogy needs. If you need assistance before then, please feel free to reach out to us by phone (812-926-0646) or in person at the Aurora or Dillsboro Libraries.
The Local History Library will be re-opening on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the third Saturday of the month beginning in August. Be sure to check out our events page or our Facebook and Instagram pages in the upcoming months for programs scheduled at the Local History Library once the building reopens. We can’t wait to see you again!
BIG NEWS from our Local History Library @ The Depot… Literally!
Join us on our 
The Aurora Public Library District has big plans in store for the Local History Library! We know you miss the Depot, but the building needs to remain closed for the next three months to put our plans into action. So don’t worry, because we’ll be back before you know it!