George T. Holdaway, J. Alma Holdaway, and Elliott Newell of Provo, Utah, discovered fertile soil and abundant water in the Aurora valley while riding through it and decided to establish a settlement. After returning home to recruit others, they came back on March 25, 1875, with Franklin Hill, Ezra H. Curtis, his wife Julia, and their sons. Julia, the only woman in the area for six months, lived in a wagon box until a log cabin was built. More settlers soon arrived to build homes and farm the land, and they named the community Willow Bend. In 1879 the settlers bought and enlarged a small canal dug by Dr. Coons and Sons, and later added two more canals, giving the valley a strong water supply and fulfilling a prophecy that it would be farmed from mountain to mountain. Because drinking water from the river and canals caused many to develop typhoid fever, all water was boiled until wells were dug. Also in 1879, a one-room log schoolhouse was built for school, church, and community activities, with Maggie Keller serving as the first teacher. Ernest Shepherd opened the first store in a room of his house and played violin for dances, while Sidney Curtis and Andrew Anderson often played accordions. A co-op was built in 1884, and another store owned by John Larsen was bought by C.C. Christensen, moved into town, and later became the post office. When the community applied for a post office, the name Willow Bend was changed to Aurora at the suggestion of first postmaster Numan Van Louvan, who chose it after the Northern Lights.