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around us. Science directly impacts how we all travel, are entertained, communicate with one another or prepare dinner.

Scientific innovations have transformed our community. It has brought us new forms of energy, delivered water from the mountains to our facets, improved our public safety and revolutionized our national defense. Aurora's history is tied to the history of science and technology. This exhibit will explore 20th century technologies housed in our museum collection, as well as, feature the industries in our community at the cutting-edge of new and exciting sciences.

A lot has changed in Aurora since it was incorporated as the town of Fletcher in 1891.

Included among those changes is transportation technology.

Planes, trains and automobiles have replaced the horse drawn roots of Aurora's past.

When did you first use a computer?

The drastic changes in technology can be explored via many different mediums.

The historical changes in computer technology is but one of many science-driven topics explored in this exhibit.

• pURING the period in which the Front Range was being settled by new American homesteaders and miners, the country was becoming increasingly dependent upon an industrialized world. In 1861, only ten years alter the first permanent non-ind igenous peoples' settlement was established in Colorado, the first min ing mach inery was awarded a patent and manufactured. Only a few years later the telegraph connected the Front Range to the east, and by 1870 t he

railroad had reached Denver. Streets in the budd ing towns were not yet lit with electricity, yet the new Colorado settlements were not the Wild West commonly imagined by 21st centu ry Americans. The rugged ind ividualist who ventu red west seeking new opportunities were met with an advancing society steeped in scientific innovat ions. Ra ilroads and telegraphs allowed western settlers to stay connected to the modern hallmarks of the indust rialized 19th centu ry.

" By 1870, the Union Pacific's east ern division (later renamed the Kansas Pacific) reach Denver, The line connected the Front Range to the East for the first time.

Photo courtesy ol Kansas Pacific Railway

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Mechanized farming equipment, such as this steam-powered thresher, a llowed homesteaders of the Great Plains a nd Front Range to work m ore land and produce more crop, Photo courtesy ol H. Arnold Barton, "A Folk Divided: Homeland Swedes and Swedish Americans, 1840-1940"

THE Fl RST centu ry of Aurora's history is riddled with maj or changes in science and technology. More so, technical inventions and mechanical production transfonmed daily life for all Americans. By 1927, more than 15 million Ford Model T automobiles h ad been produced and personal vehicles beca me more common. Prior to World War II, the average citizen's life was improved via electricity, routi ne disinfection of community drinking water, public transportation networks throughout t he Denver metro and increased accessibility to health services. Following the war, t he U. S. beca me an economic j uggernaut .

Fueled by automation technologies,

federally funded highway systems and aviation improvements-American producers could drive innovation and flood the world market with new products for consu mption . Electrified applia nces, television broadcasts, motorized children's toys and modern vehicles defined st at us in a consumer based subu rban culture. Th is era ushered in m odern medicine practices, commercial aviation, complex power grids and a period where rockets lifted humans into space. It was during th is ti me in which Aurora grew as a subu rb and a time in which scientific discoveries drastically altered the lives of its citizens.

Today, modern commercial aviation can safely b·ansport people a round the world, During the first 5-0 years of Aurora histo1y, the av iation industry grew a nd became increa singly accessible to the public. This photo is of Stapleton International Airpo1t circa 1930.

It was during this era that Colfax Avenue became U.S . Route 40 thanks to the establishment of the United States Numbered Highway System. The new influx of people driving from coast-to-coast, brought prosperity to Aurora,

IN 1879, the Northern Colorado Irrigation Company developed the High Line Canal to divert water from the South Platte River and send it to areas south and east of Denver. Primarily made up of British and Scottish investors, the company purchased right-of-way land from the railroad to sell as farm land. It also purchased water rights on the South Platte River and constructed 71 miles of flumes and ditches between 1879 and 1883. The High Line Canal provided water solely for irrigation, it did not supply homes or businesses with drinkable water. Many farmers, such as those settled in present day Aurora, worked to provide food to the growing population of the region and found this new water source to be invaluable. The Highline Canal currently stretches 66 miles from Waterton Canyon to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal near Aurora. Its name derives from the high contours of the land, gradually declining in elevation .

Today, the flowing water in the canal is owned by Denver Water and is popularly used for recreation such as hiking and biking.

The water brought east along the Highline Canal allowed farmers to grow more crops and sustain a living which would have otherwise been unattainable.

These young Aurorans pose for a picture at the trailhead along the Highline Canal. Do you ever go biking along the trail?

IN 1949, tthe city of Aurora

established its own water department to operate the system within the city limits. Since then, the department has worked to establish and improve the infrastructure of the overall water system. The department changed its name to Aurora Water in 2006.

WHEN most people think of

Aurora Water, they may only consider the drinkable water coming from their faucets. The drinking water system consists of three treatment facilities, 1,500

miles of pipe, 12,500 fire hydrants, 12 pump stations and 10 water storage tanks. There is a lot more to the operation than just drinking water. The organization oversees an extensive raw water collections system which includes 134 miles of raw water mains, six pump stations, three tanks and 12 storage reservoirs (raw water is water that is found in the natural environment). Aurora Water also maintains a robust wastewater system which includes over 1,000 miles of sewer pipe with connections to more than 80,000 homes and businesses. The storm drain system also deserves attention with almost 700 miles of pipe, three storm water pump stations, 58 miles of open channels and 159 city-owned ponds. This extensive network is run by a work force of more than 400 employees and covers 151 square miles of the state.

Here Aurora Water employees service ultra-violate, or UV, coils at the Peter D. Binney Water Purification Faci Iity.

Photo courtesy of Aurora Water

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y2010 w·1 Members of the public signing a pipeline in celebration of the completion of the Prairie Waters Project.

Photo courtesy of Aurora Water

IMAGINE an airport. What are the fi rst things that come to mind? A bustling terminal, information displays, long security lines, baggage claim conveyors, arriving aircraft waiting to be fueled and catered for imminent departure. The science and technology behind all these systems are multifaceted. Airports rely on complex operations that work as a cohesive whole to function effectively.

Computerized technology has enabled global aviation networks to be in constant coordination with one another. Improvements in aircraft technology ensure safer travel for pilots and passengers. Digital scanning tools make sure your bag is delivered to the right aircraft. Up-to-date screens convey flight information to thousands of patrons every day.

These are just a few examples of technologies integral to a thriving airport. Throughout the years, these operating systems have continued to evolve and improve to meet the needs of the airlines, airport and passengers. As this industry grows and technology improves further, what will the airports of the future hold for the air travelers of tomorrow?

Passengers consult the departure screens at the Denver I nt ernational Airport. The science and t echnology of today allows passengers t o get real ti me updat es on the status of their fli ght s.

Photo courtesy of the Denver International Airport

The underground high-speed train that connects the different ter minals at the Denver I nternational Airport is but one of many complex science-driven t echnologies that enhance the passenger experience at the modern airport.

Photo courtesy of the Denver International Airport

THE DENVER Municipal Airport, located on the northern

border with Aurora, opened in 1929 as the brainchild of Denver Mayor Benjamin Stapleton. Influenced by the Aurora-based Buckley and Lowry military bases, aviation expanded in the eastern metro during the 1930s and 1940s.

To accommodate developing technologies and longer runways, the airport (renamed Stapleton Airfield in 1944 and then Stapleton International Airport in 1964), underwent a series of expansions into nearby Rocky Mountain Arsenal throughout the 1950s and 1960s. At its height, the airport brought aviation industry employers and manufactures to Aurora such as the Stanley Aviation plant adjacent to Stapleton Airfield in 1954. In addition to jobs, the mere proximity to the major airport boosted Aurora's economy and visitation. As the Denver metro solidified its role as an aviation "hub," SIA struggled to meet projected demands. Plans were proposed for an airport northeast of Aurora, which culminated in the construction of the Denver International Airport in the mid-1990s.

During the height of Stapleton International Airport's operations, several bridges were built over Interstate 70. These bridges were taxiways and _ runways for air craft landing and departing from the airport.

A 1980s view of SIA from the prospective of Aurorans looking northwest. Today, the control tower is still present in the Denver suburb of Stapleton.

THE DENVER International Airport (DEN, formally known as DIA) was constructed at a cost of $4.8 billion and opened on February 28, 1995. The airport was built northeast of Aurora, and is owned and operated by the City and County of Denver Department of Aviation. The 52.4 square miles of land owned by DEN, is according to the coo Chris McLaughlin, "the most land of any commercial airport in North America." More than 35,000 people work at the airport, upwards of 70 million passengers come through DEN each year and the facility contributes an estimated $33.5 billion to the regional economy.

THE AIRPORT manages multiple complex systems which bring passengers from Pena Boulevard directly to their departing gate at the terminal. coo McLaughlin explained, "We are trying to create a seamless network which allows our guests to successfully navigate to the airport, separate them from their baggage, verify identities and flight itineraries, transport them on a high-speed train to their assigned gate, board the aircraft without incident and ensure their baggage is loaded onto the proper departing aircraft." Each of these systems require coordination dependent upon computerized technology and trained professionals.

THE PROXIMITY of DEN to Aurora has brought jobs, tax revenue and commercial industry to the city. In addition, Aurora is home to a large portion of the airports workforce. DEN offers flights throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. As stated by COO McLaughlin, "We [the airport] have brought the world to Aurora, and brought Aurora closer to the World."

DEN coordinates with 23 independent airlines to allow 1,600 airplanes to land and take off per day.

Photo courtesy of the Denver International Airport

Recently, DEN has incorporated the FAA's next generation radar system.

Pilots and air traffic controllers utilize technology advanced system to improve serves and safety.

Photo courtesy of the Denver International Airport

THE ESTABLISHMENT of the United States Numbered Highway

System in 1926 created U.S. Route 40 that ran across the country between Atlantic City, N.J. and San Francisco. It crossed through the Denver metro area along Colfax Avenue. In the 1940s and 1950s automobile accessibility increased exponentially and cars became more affordable for most families. Improving road conditions, and the interest in exploring the West, led to an even higher demand for roadside accommodations along East Colfax Avenue.

Aurora was the first city encountered upon arriving to the Front Range along U.S. 40. This created a unique opportunity for local merchants who profited by catering to motorists.

AUTOMOTIVE technology directly shaped Aurora's community. Colfax became more than a road for these machines to traverse. Thanks to this car culture; motels, restaurants, drive-ins and entertainment venues brought big-city life to Aurora near East Colfax Avenue. At its height, this thoroughfare was the life-blood of the community.

Through the intersection of an innovative transportation technology and the economic enterprises that supported car culture - East Colfax and Aurora were transformed.

This photograph, at East Colfax Avenue and Florence Street, demonstrates the diversity of businesses along U.S. 40. Here we see shops such as a sporting goods store, multiple filling stations and motels, carpet retailers and a theater. East Colfax Avenue, thanks to the technology of the automobile, was the thriving main street of Aurora.

THE REGIONAL Transportation District (RTD) was organized

in 1969 and is governed by a 15-member, publicly elected Board of Directors. The transit system has grown over the years, and today it serves 40 municipalities in 6 counties along the Front Range. Much like its predecessor, the trolleys of the early 20th century, RTD connects communities via transportation technology. The rail and bus network has transformed the city's landscape and connects major centers of employment, commerce and entertainment. One of RTD's most recent projects included installing a rail line through the city of Aurora, known as the R Line (or sometimes referred to as the "Aurora Line"). The line opened in early 2017 and connects major activity centers like the Aurora City Center, Anschutz Medical Campus and Denver International Airport through a transfer to the University of Colorado A Line. Both the A Line and H Line service Aurorans with commuter and light rail stations.

In addition to rail, RTD has numerous bus routes that connect Aurora to the rest of the metro. This complex network depends on integrated technologies to make the system operate effectively. From the engineering of cars and tracks to the communication and traffic control mechanisms - RTD utilizes a variety of transportation technologies to provide service to Aurora's growing population.

An early form of transportation in the Denver area was the jitney bus. These automobiles operated very similar to today's cabs or Ubers. You paid a small fee (a jitney) and the bus took you to where you needed to go.

Stops along the RTD's R Line are strategically placed for the convenience of the passenger. Such as the Aurora Metro Center station near the City Center at Aurora Mall and the Aurora Municipal Complex.

Photo courtesy of Jeffery Beall

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THE COLORADO Air and Space Port is in unincorporated Adams County, adjacent to Aurora and three miles southeast of the Denver International Airport. Formerly known as the Front Range Airport, this facility is poised to usher in a new era of public and private air travel. The Colorado Air and Space Port operated as a general aviation port for 30 years prior to becoming a space port in 2018. Although space flights from the facility are a few years out, the air and space port is developing infrastructure which will support horizontal launch systems into lower Earth orbit. The facility sees operators conducting high altitude point-to-point travel around the globe, as well as, being the hub for private and public trips to space.

THE DIRECTOR of the Colorado Air and Space Port, Dave E. Ruppel, described Colorado as an "Aerospace state, with a robust private and public investment in air travel." He sees the air and space port as part of that larger "aerospace ecosystem" of Colorado. Another reason the space port is set to be a success, argued Ruppel, is its geographical position in the middle of the country. Further, Ruppel jokes that due to Colorado's elevation , "the first mile is free."

An aerial view of the Colorado Air and Space Port in 2018 that shows tremendous room for expansion.

Photo courtesy of the Colorado Air and Space Port

An artistic interpretation of the potential design of the space port's future terminal.

Photo courtesy of the Colorado Air and Space Port

INSPIRED by the recent flight of the Wright Brothers,

teenagers Frank and Jules "J. J." VanDersarl built a glider in 1905 and flew over Aurora. A few years later, they bought the plans for a French Bleriot plane and had the instructions translated into English. Parts were not available in Colorado so the brothers built all the pieces by hand and then assembled them, including the propeller and the entire four-cylinder engine.

THEY finished construction of the plane in 1911 and

transported it by horse-drawn wagon to a field near Sable Boulevard, north of Colfax Avenue. Jules flew the plane first but crashed upon landing. The brothers made repairs and then Frank has a successful flight without incident.

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Pictured here is Frank VanDersarl. In the 1960s Frank tried to restore the Bleriot, but he died before completing the project.

A~er Jules VanDersarl died in November 1977, the monoplane was exhibited at the Museum of New Mexico. In 1994 it was bought and loaned to Dowling College in Bayport, N. Y. There it was further restored by the Bayport Aerodrome Society. Then in 2009 C.C. Air Corporation purchased it and added it to The Aeroplane Collection in Paso Robles, Calif., with the goal of making it airworthy once again.

IN NOVEMBER of 1917, the government selected the A.H.

Gutheil Nursery site in Aurora for an Army hospital.

Construction for the U.S. Army General Hospital No. 21 (later renamed Fitzsimons) began in May 1918. Fitzsimons became the largest active military hospital in the world.

INITIAL built to treat World War I patients suffering from

tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases, Fitzsimons General Hospital became the Army's only hospital focusing on tuberculosis treatments. Just four days after the dedication of the new main building, the attack on Pearl Harbor propelled the U.S. into World War II. As the largest and one of the most modern military hospitals in the country, Fitzsimons played a key role in treating soldiers during the war. In the 1950s, as tuberculosis became less common, the hospital shifted its focus to lung and chest related diseases and injuries. The Army hospital played a key role during the Korean War and the Vietnam War treating wounded soldiers.

THE DEPARTMENT fof Defense deactivated Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in 1999. At the time of the closure it was one of Aurora's largest employers, with nearly 3,000 workers.

During its height, the Army facility made tremendous advancements in medical science and provided Aurora with the infrastructure needed to later attract major medical institutions like the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and its schools and colleges.

The establishment of the Army hospital spurred neighborhood growth along, and south of, East Colfax Avenue. The facility was a major employer and brought thousands of people to Aurora. This growth can be seen in comparing these two aerial shots from the 1930s and 1950s.

BEFORE Fitzsimons Hospital was built in Aurora, a private

tuberculosis sanatorium was well established nearby at 6th Avenue and Quebec Street in 1902. The facility treated tuberculosis patients until 1932 when it no longer had the resources to keep up with the latest medical advances.

THE U.S. Army Air Corps needed a new base in the late 1930s to train soldiers in the field of aerial photography. The land was sold and the site became an Army Air Corps Technical Training School.

The Army designated the new school as Lowry Army Air Field to honor Denver native Francis Lowry, the first local casualty of World War I. In 1937, Lowry Army Air Field opened with 850 men, and by 1941, 8,500 soldiers were stationed at the base, with a massive influx of troops arriving at the onset of World War II. FOR 57 YEARS, fthe base served as an Air Force training facility.

Early on, training focused on aerial photography. In 1955, the United States Air Force Academy was also established at Lowry. It would remain in the area until 1958, while the permanent location was being built in Colorado Springs. As air and space technology became more sophisticated in the 1950s, missile specialists began training at Lowry. The first operational Titan I Intercontinental Ballistic Missile was housed at Lowry in 1962. Aerial operations continued until 1966. The base eventually fully closed in September 1994.

THE VAST array of scientific research, training and development

that took place at Lowry is a testament to the importance Aurora played in the greater history of technological advancement in the United States.

Originally the airfield was well east of Denver proper, yet as the Front Range community grew, suburban development surrounded the Air ,~--~ Force Base.

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Before the establishment of Lowry, the Agnes Phipps Memorial Sanatorium occupied the site. The facility treated tuberculosis patients until 1932.

BUCKLEY Air Force Base has established itself as one of the most

prominent economic and physical landmarks in the history of Aurora. In its infancy, it was a bombing range for Lowry Army Air Field until 1941 when it became its own instillation.

FOLLOWING World War II, in September 1945, Buckley reverted to

an auxiliary air field for Lowry and was nearly closed by the War Department in 1946. The migration of the Colorado Air National Guard from its former headquarters near Stapleton Airport in Denver to Buckley, granted the base a reprieve. The Navy took jurisdiction over the base in 1947, renaming it Naval Air Station-Denver.

DURING the Navy's management of the base, the beginnings of Buckley's place in the air and space defense network were established in 1957, with the construction of a 27,000-watt radar intercept station.

IN 1960, the base was again exchanged within the Department of

Defense and it became the Buckley Air National Guard Base until 2000 . During this period Buckley was chosen to host a new, classified communications facility that came to be known as the Aerospace Data Facility. The construction of this complex included what is today one of Aurora's most iconic landmarks, the satellite radomes known colloquially as "the big golf balls."

TODAY, Buckley Air Force Base houses service members from all

five branches of the military. It is also home to the Aerospace Defense Facility and Air Reserve Personnel Center. Its current role is to provide the nation with strategic missile warning defense and serves as a home for the Colorado Air National Guard.

Today, Buckley Air Force Base is the largest public employer in Aurora. More than 12,000 employees work at the instillation.

Photo courtesy of the Colorado Air National Guard

WHEN the town of Fletcher was founded in 189 1, what we know as modern medicine was drastically different. It was an under reg ulated practice which featured products that blurred the lines between \'pharmaceuticals" and \'chemicals."

DUE TO its proximity to Denver, Au rora pharmacies needed to attract and keep local business. The earliest pharmacies had doctors with offices in the same building, making it conven ient for both doctors and thei r patients. In the 1930s, the Au rora Democrat encouraged readers to shop locally at Aurora Drug and Hancock Ph armacy, promising t hem high qual ity prod ucts that were cheaper than those in Denver.

Pharmacies looked different back then, with the first pharmacists serving as community medical counselors prescribing and making medications.

The role of pharmacies changed drastically after the passage of the AFTER World War II, more pharmacies Durham-Humphrey Amend ment to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of opened in Au rora, resulting in competition not only from Denver, but 1938 . This required pharmacists to from other area drugstores. To further h ave a prescription from a doctor to cat er to customers and attract those in dispense all medications except those East Denver, many offered free delivery considered over t he counter. Instead, on prescr iptions. Up until the late larger companies manufactured drugs.

1960s and 1970s, most of Aurora's Chain stores, including Rexall's and pharmacies were locally owned and Walgreens, began to dominate the operated with few pharmacies being market. In add ition to dispensing associated with larger chains. medications, drugstores traditionally sold other goods to customers such as cosmetics and personal care products.

Pharmacies also provided services such as film development and even operated soda fountains.

Hancock Pharmacy, on the no1theast comer of East Colfa x Avenue a nd Dayton Street, sported the first neon sign in Aurora, The n eon read "Drugs.•

MANY inj ured soldiers coming back from World War I suffered from tubercu losis and other respiratory diseases contracted from the damp and cold life in the t renches of Europe.

Medical experts at the time agreed that the low humidity, sunny days and moderate seasons of Colorado promoted healing.

THE HOSPITAL gained specialized in the field of respiratory ill nesses, especially tubercu losis. Fitzsimons became the largest tuberculosis hospital in America and the largest active mil itary hospital in the world. Th roughout both world wars, the Korean War and the Vietnam War Fitzsimons served inj ured and sick U.S. service members.

IN NOVEMBER of 1917, the government selected the A.H. Gutheil Nursery in Aurora for the site of a futu re hospital.

Construction for the U.S. Army General Hospital No. 21 (later renamed Fitzsimons General Hospital) began in May 1918. Five months later, officials held a dedication ceremony. The first patient - Private Clair Martin - arrived four days later, even before const ruction was completed.

THE ARMY deactivat ed Fitzsimons Army Medical Cent er in 1999, the Anschutz Medical campus now sits on t he former site and maintains a world-renowned reputation for cutti ng-edge medical technology and research.

Although the hospita l ti-eated patients throughout both World Wars, Korea and Vietnam, the hospital may be best known for the seven-week treatment of President Dwight Eisenhower after a heart attack in 1955. Which led Fitzsimons to become a lea der in the field of cardiology.

The base offered a local nursing trai ning program a nd a s a result, many women in th e area entered the Army Nurse Corps.

BY THE late 1950s, both local doctors and residents recognized the need for a hospital in Aurora . While many of the m ilitary families could utilize the services at Fitzsimons Anmy Hospital, other citizens had to travel into Denver for specialty and emergency services.

Commun ity organizers and local medical professionals raised funds for two new facilities, the Aurora Commun ity Hospital located o ff Mississippi Avenue and I-225 and the Aurora Presbyterian Hospital at Potomac Street and 6th Avenue. Both hospitals were operational by 1975.

MIDWAY through the 20th centu ry, insights derived from cell biology altered basic concepts of t he disease process. New discoveries in biochemistry and physiology opened the way for more precise diagnostic

tests and more effective therapies.

Advancements in biomedical engineering enabled doctors to conduct non -invasive imaging techniques with technologies like u ltrasound (sonar) and computerized axial tomography (CAT).

DURING this era, rapid progress in the medical sciences drastically improved the quality of life for Americans.

Standardized medicine, regulat ion and improvements in commun ication between scientists yielded a never before seen, technolog ically advanced, health care system. The improvements in the medical profession were on full display to the Au rorans who visit ed their new hospitals in t he late 1970s.

Less than 100 years ago, a premabJre baby had little hope of survival, It was during the 20th century when new specialties such as neonatology, pediatric nurses and respirato1y therapists emerged in the medical profession, Here babies at Aurora's Presbyterian Hospital ar-e cared for in the 1980s.

X-ray technology (the ability to photograph the interior structure of people via radiation imaging) was first discover-ed in 1895. I n the last 125 yea rs specialists have improved x-ray's safety and efficiency, He.-e a patient is prepa ring to be x- ra yed at Aurora's Pl·esbyterian Hospital in the l 970s.

Have you seen the x-ray machine in the Growing Home exhibit?

~ Anschutz ~~dical Campus , THE CURRENT late 1950s, both local doctors and residents recognized the need for a hospital in Au rora. Whil e many of the m ilitary fam ilies could utilize the services at Fitzsimons Army Hospital, other citizens had to travel into Denver for specialty and emergency services. Community organ izers and local medical professionals raised funds for two new faciliti es, the Aurora Community Hospital located off Mississippi Avenue and 1-225 and the Aurora Presbyterian Hospital at Potomac Street and 6th Avenue. Both hospitals were operational by 1975 .

IN 2006, t he Fitzsimons campus was renamed the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in recognition of the donations from The Anschutz Foundation to help in the const ruction of brand new education, research and patient care facilities.

TWO YEARS later, all CU health sciences schools and coll eges relocated to the new campus on the former army base. This move also included the founding of a brand-new School of Public Health for the state; founded as a collaborative ventu re between all three of Colorado's major universities.

UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital also j oined in t he move to the Anschutz Medical campus, along with Child ren's Hospit al Colorado.

TODAY, t he CU Ansch utz Medical Campus features six state of t he art schools and colleges and is home to some of the most important health discoveries and treat ments in t he st ate of Colorado and in the unit ed States.

The Children's Hospital Colorado has its roots as far back as 1897 a nd opened its first hospital in 1908. After numerous expansions over th e yea1·s, at its downtown Denver location, Children's Colorado opened a new hospital on Sept. 29, 2007 on the Anschutz Medical Campus, The 1.79 million square-feet hospital is the state's most advanced institution specialized in children's medicine.

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is the second largest public employer in Aurora only behind Buckley Air Force Base Photo courtesy of Jeffery Beall

IN ITS early days, Aurora relied on a few town marshals and a small volu nteer corps of firefighters to prot ect the city. These men worked with lim ited resou rces until it became clear the growing subu rb needed a modern public safety division. The city hired Spencer Garrett as pol ice ch ief in 1949 . Two years later, Aurora bought a brand-new pumper truck, capable of pumping 750 gallons per minute, and hired volunteer firefighter Ray Sallies to drive it .

AS AURORA Police and Fire expanded, the departments also worked to incorporate new technologies and training techniques into thei r operations. In 1974, the Police Department purchased a Bell 47

helicopt er and created the Aviation Support Unit. The Fire Department instructed emergency medical technicians in 1975, and t hey could assist in emergency rooms at the new Aurora Presbyterian and Aurora Community hospitals. AFD sent its first twelve members to paramed ic traini ng in 1976. Other science-driven improvements came about through the establishment of the Hazardous Materials Team {Hazmat) in 1982 and the E-91 1 emergency telephone system in 1989 . This system gives dispatchers the capability to identify the add ress from which someone is calli ng 911. Since the 1990s, both departments conti nue to utilize new technologies and resources to improve the public safety for all Au rora citizens.

The Police Department purchased a Sell 4 7 helicopter in 1974 and created the Aviation Suppo1t Unit.

It flew for three years and was

taken out of service due to h ig h o perating costs, During 1975, t he unit flew 6 10 accident free hoo rs.

It was instrumental in the recovery of property and apprehension o f suspects,

In 1980, APO became one of the first depa1tments to install Mobile Data Terminals in its patrol cars, putting more information at the o fficers' f inger tips.

Members of the Aur-ora Fire Department f ighting a b laze at Richar-d's Toy Store on Colfax Avenue in 19S8.

IN 1987, increasing crime and city growth lead the Police Department to establish a Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Unit. During this time, the department hired the first civilian crime scene investigator. The unit updated its equipment in 1997 when APO purchased two CSI vehicles with the latest technology, improving investigators' ability to process crime scenes quickly.

IN MAY 2011, the Aurora Police Department, along with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office and the District Attorney's Office of the 18th Judicial

Deputies with the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Department dust for prints at a local crime scene.

District, came together to open the Unified Metropolitan Forensic Crime Lab. The state-of-the-art facility can provide DNA analysis, chemistry, fingerprint analysis, document examination, firearms examination and other lab services. Prior to the establishment of the Unified Metropolitan Forensic Crime Lab, the Police Department would send their DNA samples to a state run laboratory.

In conjunction with the newly establish cooperative lab, the Police Department operates and independent Crime Lab which employs 22 officers and receives over 4,000 requests for service annually.

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The Unified Metropolitan Forensic Crime Lab, located along Aurora's southern border just south of the Centennial Airport, serves over 1 million people in the communities represented in the joint venture.

A member of Aurora's Crime Lab conduct ing a signature analysis.

AN ONGOING case, which has resurfaced into Aurora's 2020

headlines thanks to DNA technology, is the case against convicted felon Alexander Christopher Ewing. In 2018, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced that they had discovered a DNA match in a 34-year-old cold case.

Modern-day DNA technology linked Ewing to a string of deadly hammer attacks and sexua l assaults of a woman in Lakewood and a family of four in Aurora in 1984. He was extradited back to Colorado in 2020 from a Nevada prison in which he has been serving time since 1985 on an unrelated charge. At the time of the murders, DNA science was a few years away from being used in a criminal investigation.

Aurora and Lakewood detectives saved evidence from both crime scenes which later revealed the presence of DNA. Ewing will be tried for the murders in the summer of 2020.

Family found slain at home

By Jim Ayt.n.

5fa,-., v.'ro,r

v;ew." he wtd, ~futinJ; to -OOm,rT\enl on whetber more office!"$ were on gua.rd aJaimtt a ftlrlhet assaull oo tbe child. the Jut liV'lng 1\utops-les ,,.,·ere to be completed la1e member ()f lhe lm1t1edlat~ Bennett fanul)'. ~ Y afternoon on the blo01Hed and bro- Sbe was airhflcd ti> 1-•rtsby-tenan Aurora ken bodic11 ol three members of .i MUthe.::U:t Hospital on Monday mornina !Qr emcracnc:y Auror.i f.11mily found dead Mood;ty in their :iursery. theo tNlnsferred to Children' s. home at l633'7 E Center Drive.

Police were c:il!ed to the Beruieu hc>me. ·T\'e been here IS )'tars: · Aurora deiec- locate,<! southwe$$ of Sout h 81.tCtley Road and tiw? Sat. Jim fa.rreU sa1d TueSday...ThJs Is Eut Alameda Parb·ay. at 10·27 am by Ute the most b11.1t.il l'\1e l'!ver seen •· 1n ch.Ir~ of chilifren·s gr:rndm()tber wbo found the bod· ~e poli~ depa11.11\fflt'11 crimes agau1st pet· i es Police fixed the time of death st ~e• sons unjt, FalTI:'11 said 20 detccti\·es h3,·e dme bet•·een t p.m. Sunday and 10:27 am. been asSJglled lo the triple murders o( 11· ~l<rnday, based on the grandmother's year•old Bruce Alan Bennetl: hi s wife, 26- mtements that sh(! had been at the famJly vear"ld Debra Lynn. aod tbeir 7•)·c;1r-<)ld home S\Jnday night. (b1ughter. Melissa. V.iness~ Be.nnett. 3. re• Tht victims h;ad been b.':ldly beaten with main«! in critical but stable condiuon Tues• a "blunt object." A kitchen knife believed <1.av at Cbild.«>n·s Hospital. atso lQ have t,een used In tbe attack. was • The ehlld underwent more tlian eight fouOO in the MIOW outside the h01ne.. police hours of SW'llery Monda)' to reconstruct .her ssud. . . ., j.iw, !<haltered in the atUl!Ck, and to repair a Police Ch1ef Ben Blake ha.s.orde~ In• fract11red 11kull and olber injurks. The gtrl teosifted patrol in all re:slde-nual neighbor• remained under police g~rd at the bospltal, l100ds," Sellman said. Police are stopping and questioning all suspicious vehicle$ ilnd police m kesman Mike Sellman Silld. " There is one uniformed officer in persons.

This newspaper clipping from the January 18, 1984 edition of the "Aurora Sentinel," was the first announcement to the public regarding the incident.

THE MECHANICS of how a fire burns is simple. For

a fire to burn it needs a fuel source (substances like wood, paper, oil or coal), a supply of oxygen and an activation energy (provided by a spark or a match) to kick off the reaction. Once the reaction is underway, heat sustains the blaze until the fuel source is consumed, oxygen is depleted or the heat is suppressed.

THE MOST commonly used methods of fire FIRE can be a useful tool for people. It can

heat their homes, combust inside the motor of a vehicle or lift a hot air balloon high into the sky. But fire can also be very destructive. According to the National Fire Protection Association, between 2013 and 2017 there were 354,400 home structure fires per year in the US. These fires caused an annual average of 2,620 civilian deaths; 11,220 c iv i Ii a n fi re i nj u ri es ; a nd $ 6 .9 bi 11 ion i n direct property damage. Knowing how to put out a fire in a hurry could save lives and property - not to mention, the science behind fire extinguishing is neat too.

suppression require the removal of either the fuel, the heat or the oxygen. Firefighters can use big pump trucks to drown a fire. The high-powered water serves a dual purpose by decreasing the oxygen in the blaze as well as lowering the temperature of the fire. At home, people have been using fire extinguishers since the early 1800s. Fire extinguishers are a lot like a giant aerosol can. They contain a substance to put out the fire (like a carbon dioxide gas or water) and a propellant which helps eject the substance for fighting the fire.

KNOWING how to use your fire extinguisher can

saves lives, so everyone should familiarize themselves with this amazing piece of everyday technology.

AURORA'S first telephone exchange opened on September 10, 1910

with 28 subscribers. The "Aurora Democrat" published an updated list of phone numbers each week. Operator Elsie May Stitt reminisced that most callers told her the name of the person with whom they wanted to be connected rather than the person's phone number, even though Aurora phone numbers only had two digits. .

TWO phone lines ran into Denver from Aurora -

Willow and Hemlock. Cynthia M. Given and Miss Flora Campbell managed the exchange office. A one-party business line cost $2.50, two-party $2. 00 and residentia I $1. 50.

ORIGINALLY a building at the corner of Colfax Avenue and Elmira Street housed the telephone office until a new office was constructed in 1925 at the corner of Colfax Avenue and Dayton Street until 1955 when Aurora phones switched to dials. By 1927, Aurora's Mountain States Telephone Exchange Office served 415 telephones.

Here a Bell Telephone Company technician in Aurora repairs some phone lines in 1986. The ability to communicate instantaneously between homes, and over long distances, changed our world in drastic ways via increased personal and commercial communication .

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THE FIRST photograph was taken in 1814, but it was not until the late 1880's when George Eastman developed photographic film for his Kodak Company that small hand-held cameras became available. In 1900, his Kodak Brownie entered the market as an "everyday" camera which enabled the American public to begin documenting their lives.

THE 35mm film camera burst onto the market with the development of the Leica I in 1925, by the German company Leitz. Kodak's Retina and the Argus Company's C3 became very popular because of their ease of use and relatively low price as a luxury item.

TAKING photographs is a part of our everyday life. Cameras are used for news gathering, creating art, documenting life and remembering a vacation. No longer do people need to carry around bulky manual cameras as seen here, now almost everyone has a camera built into their cell phone.

ELECTRONIC computers began in the mid-20th Century. The first models used rows of different vacuum tubes, each with a specific function. A vacuum tube could be anywhere from an inch and a half to four inches long. The earliest computers, of the 1940s, could take up an entire room.

THE DEVELOPMENT of rocket ships and the push to get satellites into orbit in the 1950s spurred the invention of miniaturization, which was the ability to make those vacuum tubes into tiny transistors and other circuits, thus making computers smaller and smaller and yet faster and more sophisticated.

BY 1975, personal computers, generally called microcomputers, were being sold as kits to computer enthusiasts. Apple Computers came out with a pre-made circuit board in 1976 called the Apple I, and the first complete PC computer sold was the Commodore PET in 1977. In 1981 IBM came out with a personal computer that dominated the market. After that for many the term "PC" (personal computer) was synonymous with "IBM." Apple debuted the Macintosh computer in 1984, and became a company known for pushing the envelope of what PC's could do. Apple computers were generally more expensive, and came to be seen as most useful for artistic endeavors such as music editing, graphics and movie editing.

THE MOST common form of data storage in the 1970s and 1980s was the floppy disk, a flat, circular sheet of plastic covered with iron oxide ( essentially rust) and covered with a plastic covering to protect it. The first kind of floppy was 8 inches in diameter called the 8" floppy. It had a flexible outer casing and was read-only, and came out in 1971. Writable versions came out soon after. The next version was the 5¼" floppy available in 1978, with larger capacity. The final version was the smaller 3½" floppy, this with a hard outer casing.

FLOPPIES were used initially to store operating systems and specific software to be run on a computer. They switched to a data storage and exchange medium when hard drives became cheap enough to put into computers in the late 1980s. Today they are almost extinct, although some computers are still built with floppy drives in them.

TELEVISION rapidly integrated itself into American life

after World War II, with families having much more disposable income than in the past. The percentage of households owning a set jumped from 9% to 87% between 1950 and 1960.

SEARS brought affordable entertainment to the masses for many years, first through the phonograph and later with the radio and television. Known for its Silvertone products from 1915 to 1972, this late 1950s model provided a "High Definition TV, Powerful AM radio and 3-speed automatic phonograph" all together in one console.

AURORA was home t o part of KOA, one of t he most powerful radio

stat ions in Colorado and the entire Rocky Mount ain Region. KOA first went on t he air in 1924. The fi rst stat ion headquarters and t ra nsmitter tower were in Denver. The Denver building included offices, studio, recept ion room and control room at one location.

In 1925, t he station participat ed in t he first national hookup in which 50 st ations broadcast President Calvin Coolidge's inaugurat ion. General Electric first owned t he st at ion until NBC gained ownership in 1933.

ON JULY 7, 1934, t he stat ion swit ched to a new transmitter near Tower Road at 18500 East Colfax Avenue in Aurora . The new t ra nsmitter had a 478-foot antenna and increased t he stat ion's power from 12,500 kilowatts to 50,000 kilowatts. Once t he new t ower powered up t he KOA signal could be heard t hrougho ut t he Rocky Mount ain region, from Canada all t he way to Mexico.

KOA aired a mix of locally produced programming and chain shows f ro m NBC. This incl uded live broadcasts of local sports and event s such as t he National West ern Stock Show. KOA featured it s own perform ers, news programming and advice shows including KOA Home Forum and The Mile High Farmer. The site on East Colfax Avenue cont inued t o be t he home of t he KOA t ransmitter unt il 1959. Today, t he Art Deco building is owned by t he Colorado Department of Transportat ion.

An interior look at some of the advanced t echnologies used by KOA in order to broadcast t heir programs.

Although the transmitter tower is no longer standing, the KOA building was designat ed a Local Histori c Landmark in 200 1.

SCIENCE and technology are all around us every day. Objects we use daily like washing machines, computers and cell phones are representations of how science has transformed how we interact with our world. The products we use to clean our homes, prepare our meals and entertain ourselves - these products must be designed, manufactured and commonly powered by electricity. As you browse the museum cases in this section, think to yourself ... How much science went into this everyday object?

ONLY two generations ago, the concept of wireless

transmissions connecting people around the world would have seemed more like science fiction than something a five-year-old could achieve with an iPad. The concept of an mp3 file or even Netflix would be completely foreign to our great - great grandparents.

THINK about the objects you see and try to identify all the science behind the final product.

FOR EXAMPLE: A stereo system (physics for audio/wiring; chemistry/earth science/engineering for electricity; biology for speaker to ear audio transmission) Can you think of anymore?

THERE can be a lot of political,

social and environmental controversy when addressing the oil and gas industry, yet the science driven industry is a major driver of Aurora's and Colorado's economic development. Colorado's crude oil production has quadrupled since 2010 and the state holds about 4% of total U.S. crude oil reserves.

Over half of Colorado's electricity comes from coal-fired power plants. There are currently approximately 60,000 active oil and gas wells in Colorado and over 20,000 that are abandoned. The industry also fuels the loca l economy. According to the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, the oil and natural gas industry adds more than $3.3 billion each year to the economy of Colorado's 6th Congressional District, where Aurora is located, or 7 .5% of the district's total economy.

Here t wo men remove debris away from an oil drill in the early 1990s. Today, there are 50 producing wells in the city of Aurora.

There are another 140 wells in Aurora wh ich have been plugged and abandoned throughout history.

IT MAY come as a surprise, but

the lighting of the West happened around the same time as New York City in the 1880s.

The large profits driven by mining operations provided Denver and the surrounding regions with the funds to modernize. The open space made it easy for developers to implement electricity and other modern amenities. However, though the urban areas could afford to modernize, many remote properties and towns didn't have the funds to electrify private homes until the 1930s.

IN 1912, Aurora's government

organized a "Committee on Town Lighting." The committee entered negotiations with a developer to bring electric lighting to the city. In the summer of 1912, the voters of Aurora ratified the committee's recommendations and over the next few years homes and businesses were 'plugged in' to the new power grids.

Built mid-1920s, Westinghouse and General Electric cooperated t o build a house as an "all electric display home," according t o the newspapers of the time. Auro ra First National Bank and Ch amber of Commerce president, Thom as F. Gilligan, saw over 15, 000 people v isit his home for its grand opening gala wh ich was officiated by Colorado Gover nor Morlay. The home had the most advanced f eatures of the day, such as fl uorescent, recessed or hidden lightin g and wirin g wh ich accom modated 125 electri cal outlets for " every known appliance."