Historical society wants your photos of Andy Aurora

Submitted by Aurora Historical Society

Andy Aurora, that spunky, bright-red, little cartoon character who has livened up so much of Aurora’s 175th celebration, is almost ready to call it a year.

It was on Aurora’s official birthday, March 2, 2012, that Andy was reintroduced to the public as a throwback to the mid-1960s, when he was ubiquitous as a symbol of optimism and all that was right about Aurora.

The Aurora Historical Society, current owners of the image, passed out Andy placards with instructions to take him along on trips and to places of interest far and near and photograph Andy in new locales. The photographs were then posted to the historical society’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/aurorahistory.

The idea was an instant hit and produced such interesting results that the historical society decided to make a video, sort of “Andy’s Excellent Adventure,” set to music — the improvisational romp “Proud to Be An Aurora Boy” by Bradley Green, who penned and recorded the album “Songs for Aurora.”

It can be heard as track No. 6 on the Aurora Historical Society website radio station at www.aurorahistory.net.

There is still time for Andy fans to submit more pictures, and the society is hoping that through September and October people will snap more images: in a backpack going to school, perhaps, or among colorful autumn leaves, or with Halloween jack o’ lanterns.

“In fact,” says curator Jennifer Putzier, who is credited with pulling Andy from a filing cabinet and making him a celebrity again, “what I am secretly hoping for is that somebody will go trick-or-treating as Andy and then post the picture with us.”

Andy placards and postcards are available for purchase at $1 or $2, depending on size, and may be bought at the historical society gift shops or online at www.aurorahistory.net.

The shop at the Pierce Art and History Center, 20 E. Downer, is open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and the shop at the Tanner House Museum, 305 Cedar St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays.