Antiquing at Its Best

If asked to describe an ideal antiquing destination, it would be a small town with historic buildings and a dozen or more individually owned shops. Drive about a half-hour south of Portland, Oregon, and after some twists and turns you could come across a town named Aurora. The green fields, 19th-century buildings, and surrounding town names make you think for a minute you might have made a wrong turn and ended up in Ohio or Vermont. A town like this is a delightful find anytime, but particularly when it’s filled with antiques.

After moving to the area in 2022, the first mention of the town of Aurora was from a neighbor talking about an architectural remnants shop called Aurora Mills. Not long after we learned about an auction house, McLaren, which we wrote about late last year.

Those may be the main attractions, or just icing on the cake, but the historic homes and other town buildings are all filled with antique shops. Many have multi-levels, an array of items spanning the 20th Century all steps from each other making this a perfect Saturday get-away.

Houses in several sizeable buildings Aurora Mills offers an array of hardware, doors, gates, lumber, and lighting as well as unusual furniture, advertising signs, stained glass, and other items. 

Another must-see is Whistle Stop Junction Antiques, a shop that offers mostly lighting items houses in the historic Aurora train station. Main Street Merchantile is another sizeable shop with multi-levels and a good selection from a variety of price points.

Even if you’re not shopping for anything in particular, it’s fun to pop in and see the historic buildings from the inside. Aurora was a German and Swiss Christian communal society with the first inhabitants arriving around 1850 when the population of Portland was less than 1,000 people. Some of the buildings are part of the Old Aurora Colony Museum, but many are active businesses – some with antiques even displayed for sale in bedroom closets.

There is even a known history of furniture made here by colonists. According to the colony website, made by a handful of craftsmen, Aurora furniture is marked by its simple, straight lines, the pediments that topped cabinet furniture, and the turned spindles that decorate beds, cradles, and benches. You can see some examples here. 

Aurora is a gem both in terms of the architecture and the collection of history-related businesses all clustered in one area. I am sure it will be a frequent Saturday destination for many years to come.

Here are a few additional photos of what you will encounter in Aurora.