Trolley car found ‘buried’ inside abandoned home makes final stop Aurora city hall

AURORA | City employees, residents and fans cheered as they watched the 18,000-lb., 40-foot long trolley trailer wheeled into its new home at the Ruth Fountain gallery that will open in the Aurora History Museum this November.

Trolley Trailer No. 610 which dates to 1913, was discovered in 2006 by an Aurora police officer who stumbled upon it at a long-abandoned farmhouse in east Aurora. Hidden for 56 years inside the house, the trolley skeleton was preserved, but the inside was clearly deteriorating. The previous owner, Dr. Edwin Perrott purchased the trailer in 1950 for $50. He built his entire home around it, and used the car as a bedroom and office.

Fountain, whom the gallery is named after, smiled as she looked on with a mix of pride and awe. She just wished her husband was there to see it.

The former Aurora city councilwoman, along with her  late husband Bob Eide, coordinated and financed the trolley’s revival, which took four years to restore with the help of 16 volunteers. Those volunteers donated 4,500 hours and raised more than $75,000 in cash and in-kind services for the project.

“This is the culmination of our labor. He would have loved it,” she said.

Rigger Kevin Brown (center) measures an I-beam that will support Trolley Trailer No. 610 as it is transported from a storage unit to the new addition of the Aurora History Museum, Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Rigger Kevin Brown gets chains and binders ready to haul Trolley Trailer No. 610 from a storage unit to the new addition of the Aurora History Museum, Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Rigger Kevin Brown gets chains and binders ready to haul Trolley Trailer No. 610 from a storage unit to the new addition of the Aurora History Museum, Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Rigger Kevin Brown gets chains and binders ready to haul Trolley Trailer No. 610 from a storage unit to the new addition of the Aurora History Museum, Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Rigger Kevin Brown gets chains and binders ready to haul Trolley Trailer No. 610 from a storage unit to the new addition of the Aurora History Museum, Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Rigger Kevin Brown gets chains and binders ready to haul Trolley Trailer No. 610 from a storage unit to the new addition of the Aurora History Museum, Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Rigger Kevin Brown raises Trolley Trailer No. 610 onto a flatbed Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the Aurora History Museum where it will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Rigger Kevin Brown raises Trolley Trailer No. 610 onto a flatbed Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the Aurora History Museum where it will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Volunteers help guide Trolley Trailer No. 610 onto a flatbed Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the Aurora History Museum where it will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Volunteers help guide Trolley Trailer No. 610 onto a flatbed Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the Aurora History Museum where it will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Steve Disher helps guide Trolley Trailer No. 610 onto a flatbed Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the Aurora History Museum where it will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Steve Disher helps guide Trolley Trailer No. 610 onto a flatbed Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the Aurora History Museum where it will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Steve Disher ties down Trolley Trailer No. 610 onto a flatbed Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the Aurora History Museum where it will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Steve Disher ties down Trolley Trailer No. 610 onto a flatbed Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the Aurora History Museum where it will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Volunteers bind down Trolley Trailer No. 610 onto a flatbed Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the Aurora History Museum where it will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Volunteers bind down Trolley Trailer No. 610 onto a flatbed Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the Aurora History Museum where it will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Trolley Trailer No. 610 is secured onto a flatbed truck Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the Aurora History Museum where it will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Truck driver Jason Flesher gives one last check over Trolley Trailer No. 610 to make sure it is properly secured onto his flatbed truck Sept. 19 in Aurora. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the Aurora History Museum where it will be part of the museum’s future permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Onlookers watch Trolley Trailer No. 610 as it’s lowered onto rails Sept. 19 at the Aurora History Museum. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the museum where it will be part of the permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Trolley Trailer No. 610 is lowered onto rails Sept. 19 at the Aurora History Museum. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the museum where it will be part of the permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Trolley Trailer No. 610 is lowered onto rails Sept. 19 at the Aurora History Museum. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the museum where it will be part of the permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Trolley Trailer No. 610 is lowered onto rails Sept. 19 at the Aurora History Museum. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the museum where it will be part of the permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Onlookers watch Trolley Trailer No. 610 as it’s lowered onto rails Sept. 19 at the Aurora History Museum. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the museum where it will be part of the permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Trolley Trailer No. 610 is lowered onto rails Sept. 19 at the Aurora History Museum. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the museum where it will be part of the permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Onlookers watch Trolley Trailer No. 610 as it’s lowered onto rails Sept. 19 at the Aurora History Museum. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the museum where it will be part of the permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Onlookers watch Trolley Trailer No. 610 as it’s lowered onto rails Sept. 19 at the Aurora History Museum. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the museum where it will be part of the permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Onlookers watch Trolley Trailer No. 610 as it’s lowered onto rails Sept. 19 at the Aurora History Museum. The almost hundred year old trailer was transported from a storage unit to the museum where it will be part of the permanent exhibit called “Growing Home,” which will highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos and an array of artifacts. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

The restored trolley will be placed in a new 1,631-square-foot space that is part of the museum’s expansion. Aurora city council members approved $1.4 million for the expansion, which will include modern, glass walls and a new entrance accessible from the Great Lawn at the Aurora Municipal Center.

The trolley trailer will be a permanent exhibit at the Aurora History Museum, said Jennifer Kuehner, executive director of the Aurora History Museum. For Kuehner, the trolley tells the story of Aurora’s origins as a satellite community, when the city incorporated in 1891 as the small town of Fletcher.

From 1914 to 1942, the No. 610 ran up and down Colfax from Denver,  with sometimes as many as 100 passengers.

“The trolley is what linked us to metro area. I don’t know whether  Fletcher would have grown as much as it did if  citizens didn’t have a way travel to jobs in Denver,” she said.

It’s also one of the few relics from Colorado’s first public transportation system.  By 1950, when streetcar service in Denver was discontinued,  many of the old trolleys were sold, a trend that was mirrored nationwide with the building of highways, and the advent of safer automobiles.

“We’re one of the only museums that have a fully restored a trolley trailer,” Kuehner said.

In November, the Aurora History Museum will open its new permanent exhibit “Growing Home,” which will feature Trolley Trailer No. 6 and highlight Aurora’s 123-year old history with over 200 historic photos.

The Aurora History Museum is located at 15051 E. Alameda Parkway. Learn about the upcoming exhibit at auroramuseum.org or 303-739-6660.