For the next couple of blogs I will show you what the other side of Pine Street is like these days and give you more of the history of the town. This is looking toward the east side of what would have been the main street of Aurora.
Near the point I am at there would have been a flagpole with the American flag. On the left side closest to me would have been the Gem Saloon. Further on down would have been places like the Wingate Saloon and the jail. Just to my right would have been the location of the Exchange Saloon.
Keep in mind this is different than the Merchants' Exchange which also had a saloon. One correction that I think I need to make here is that I think the gunfighter William Carder was actually killed here and not where I say in the video about the Merchants' Exchange. Although, the irony is I was probably standing a lot closer to where he was killed with my back within feet of the Exchange Saloon site. There is some ambiguity on this in the books I have. Then you have other saloons with similar names too. Carder will come up again in this blog at a later time. I'll explain a little more as to why I made this mistake at that time, and if I find out anything different I will re-edit this.
Near the point I am at there would have been a flagpole with the American flag. On the left side closest to me would have been the Gem Saloon. Further on down would have been places like the Wingate Saloon and the jail. Just to my right would have been the location of the Exchange Saloon.Keep in mind this is different than the Merchants' Exchange which also had a saloon. One correction that I think I need to make here is that I think the gunfighter William Carder was actually killed here and not where I say in the video about the Merchants' Exchange. Although, the irony is I was probably standing a lot closer to where he was killed with my back within feet of the Exchange Saloon site. There is some ambiguity on this in the books I have. Then you have other saloons with similar names too. Carder will come up again in this blog at a later time. I'll explain a little more as to why I made this mistake at that time, and if I find out anything different I will re-edit this.
The superintendent's house would have been in the background near where the road forks...we will get to that...for now you can see it in the background in the historical picture I put in this one:
Moving to the east and then looking north is what I was referring to in previous blogs as the craggy cliff. The armory I was referring to in earlier blogs would be above that, but I think it is more to the right side of the picture. Again, it was overlooking the town in order to protect it.
Moving more to the east, but then turning around and looking west gets us close to the courthouse. That would have been close to my left, and that is the courthouse remains for that time on the left side in the historic picture below. The courthouse actually turned into a hotel later on.
Let me say this now that in the video for this part that I was really close in mentioning where some of those buildings were by the courthouse, but had I done that video now I probably would have had it a little more fine-tuned than how I describe it. It's nothing that most people would care about, but the depth of how far things are away is a little more complicated here. It is not like the Alabama Hills where I have the background, rocks about half-way, and then close-up rocks. Aurora does not give me much to work with. This is mostly using a background and then an annotated map. Maps like the one I was using just give you some guidelines at a place like this. I am not saying it's impossible. It's just more complicated compared to something like the Alabama Hills.
This following picture is looking more to the left to show you where a lot of people would have been living. Again, it drops and has short inclines. Most of the other roads of the town would be over that incline. The remains of other homes, the schoolhouse, stores, and churches can be found out there, but I decided to stick with the mainstreet for this one. There is always another trip. :)
After walking a little further to the east one comes across this shack.
This shack seems a lot more "modern" than the era I have been talking about. 
In the next two blogs I cover each road of where the main street forks into two.
Moving more to the east, but then turning around and looking west gets us close to the courthouse. That would have been close to my left, and that is the courthouse remains for that time on the left side in the historic picture below. The courthouse actually turned into a hotel later on.
This following picture is looking more to the left to show you where a lot of people would have been living. Again, it drops and has short inclines. Most of the other roads of the town would be over that incline. The remains of other homes, the schoolhouse, stores, and churches can be found out there, but I decided to stick with the mainstreet for this one. There is always another trip. :)
After walking a little further to the east one comes across this shack.
This shack seems a lot more "modern" than the era I have been talking about. 
Aurora Ghost Town: East Pine Street (Youtube Version)
Aurora Ghost Town: East Pine Street (Vimeo Version)
