Sesquicentennial project for Aurora – a new book entitled Postcards of Olde Aurora has recently been published. The book contains over 100 images of the Town of Aurora from 80 to 100 years ago as captured on postcards of the day. Bob McRoberts, the author, has included a brief history of what appears on each of the postcards.
The 112 page Postcards of Olde Aurora is organized into such topics as streets, churches, schools, buildings, houses, parks, travel-by-rail, and novelty cards. It even includes an index that lists 165 items of interest. Given the Town of Aurora is 150 years old in 2013, McRoberts has a timely subtitle for his book: A Sesquicentennial Project.
Bob McRoberts says that much of his research was done through accessing the archives of the Aurora Historical Society that are housed at the Aurora Cultural Centre on Church Street – a building that appears on 8 of the postcards in the book as Aurora’s first elementary school. One of the events that had a strong influence on McRoberts writing his book, Postcards of Olde Aurora, was his being asked to do a presentation of his Aurora postcard collection at the Aurora Cultural Centre in April of 2012. A number of the attendees wished that he would consider such a project. Apparently, McRoberts has done his postcard presentation before a couple of groups at the Aurora United Church (included on 6 of the postcards), as well as the Toronto Postcard Club. He hopes to be presenting at the Aurora Public Library, and possibly the Aurora Seniors Centre – however, details for such are yet to be arranged.
Below is one of the images of his book. It’s a Bird’s Eye View from the top of the Aurora Public School – today’s Aurora Cultural Centre – taken in 1913.
You may see Bob McRoberts at various events around town selling his book, Postcards of Olde Aurora.
