A 19th-century utopia known for it’s music, craftsmanship, and communal living.
Religion: Christianity
Founder: Wilhelm Keil
Founded: 1856
Ended: Dissolved in the early 20th century
Location: Aurora, Oregon, United States
Size: Several hundred members (at peak)
Website: auroracolony.org
The Aurora Colony, also known as Aurora Mills, was a Christian utopian communal society founded in 1856 by William Keil in modern-day Aurora, Oregon. At its height in 1868, the community numbered about 600 members and controlled 15,000 acres of land. The society was characterized by its commitment to communal living, guided by the basic Christian beliefs of its leader Wilhelm Keil, a Prussian-born tailor who turned preacher. Members of the colony were drawn together by a shared vision of a simpler, communal life that emphasized brotherhood, mutual support, and the Golden Rule.
William Keil, a charismatic leader, initially established a community in Bethel, Missouri, before leading a group to the Pacific Northwest in search of a “Second Eden.” The Aurora Colony emerged as a result of this journey, named after Keil’s daughter. The community thrived through agriculture, craftsmanship, and especially their musical tradition. The Aurora Colony Band, known for its performances throughout the West Coast, played a significant role in the community’s social life, emphasizing the communal spirit that defined Aurora.
Life in the colony was marked by the industriousness and creativity of its members, who built homes, schools, mills, and businesses. The Oregon & California Railway’s extension to Aurora in 1870 further boosted the colony’s economy, bringing additional business and attention to the community’s hotel and artisanal products. Despite the challenges, including a devastating smallpox outbreak in 1862 that claimed the lives of several members including Keil’s daughter Aurora, the community persevered and continued to grow.
However, after the death of William Keil in 1877, the community began the process of dissolution, officially dissolving in 1883. The land was later incorporated into the modern-day city of Aurora, Oregon. Despite the end of the communal experiment, the legacy of the Aurora Colony lives on through the Old Aurora Colony Museum, established in 1966, and the Aurora Colony Historical Society, which strives to preserve the history and artifacts of this unique community. The Aurora Colony is remembered as one of Oregon’s first successful Christian communes and a significant chapter in the broader history of American utopian communities.
image via Aurora Colony
