Who We Are

What started out with a few contractors storing what would have been thrown away during a re-model, has turned into one of the largest antique and salvage businesses in the country!

An image of the inside of Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage showing vintage signs, cowboy boots, a bicycle, and other rustic items for sale.

Now we serve as a source for antique, vintage, and salvaged materials for residential and commercial spaces all over the world. Our customers range from locals looking to replace an old hinge to designers outfitting new-builds with old-world charm.

An image of the inside of Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage showing a wooden desk, a vintage metal chair, a table lamp, and a small collection of books and decorative items. There is a vintage sign on the wall that reads 'Lowe Brothers Paint'.

OUR MISSION

Provide historic and authentic character to our customers’ spaces by scouring the country for the best of the best old-school treasures that may have otherwise ended up in a landfill.

Along with historic preservation, sustainable building practices and the importance of using reclaimed materials, we are about authenticity.

Antique and vintage wooden snow shoes and skiis for sale in Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage.

We bring you the one-of-a-kind, hard to find, real deal, OLD STUFF - all in one location. Making the chore of scouring through piles our job, you can swing in for some quick authentic character 6 days a week. When you’re decorating a new home or business, let us do what we do best!

An image of the inside of Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage showing some of their selection of with vintage film reels, naval spot lights and old signage on wooden walls and ceiling.

Wood-paneled wall with framed paintings of horses and a lake scene, mounted animal horns, and various backpacks and outdoor gear.

Along with our products, we pride ourselves on one of the most unique and adventurous shopping experiences out there. C’mon down just to explore!

Our main store, and namesake, is housed in an 1890s hop, grain, and feed mill!

The mill was active until 1996, and when the business sold the structure went up for sale to salvage.

In 1998 some crazy contractors went in on the purchase not to salvage, but to sell salvage in it!

Here are some photos from the 1st day they were let in the building!

top of building facing the front porch from 1st st

facing east from current gravel parking lot

old signage on the east side of the building

Scroll to see scanned images of the exterior of the old mill when we purchased in 1998!

Want to learn more about historic Aurora, OR?

Use this button to jump over to the Old Aurora Colony Museum’s Website for hitsory, photo galleries, catalogs and more!

Learn more

In June of 2023, we celebrated our 25th anniversary with the Grand Opening of our new showroom right next store to the old Mill!

Grand opening event announcement for Aurora Mills Annex, celebrating 25 years, on Saturday, June 24th from 10 am to 5 pm. The image features a modern building with large glass windows and potted plants outside against a bright blue sky.

Scroll down for process and finished product photos of our new old-inspired show room!

The making of the…

Old barn with weathered siding and open doors, trees with leafless branches, dirt pathway, blue sky with some clouds.

Some of you may remember our old quonset hut!

This WWII surplus structure was re-built here in Aurora in the mid 1950s and was the first laying of asphalt in the town! Stories go that local kids would bring their bicycles to rip around on the only smooth surface around the trucks stored there.

We utilized the hut for storage until 2019 when we started clearing her out to get ready for deconstruction. Don’t worry, we posted it for the WWII era hut for sale (heck NO we didn’t just smash it down!) A buyer in Seattle came down to assist in its deconstruction and take it to its new home.

Enjoy a gallery of process photos from tear-down to finish below!

Process…

Piles of wood and roofing materials stacked outdoors in front of a metal frame structure and trees under a clear blue sky.

Construction site with rusty curved steel beams and industrial buildings under a clear blue sky.

A partially constructed or deconstructed building with a curved metal arch structure, with various tools, debris, and wood piles nearby, under a clear blue sky.

Construction site with a concrete foundation and rebar, surrounded by gravel and dirt, with trees and a fence in the background.

Construction site with concrete foundation, wooden framing, and a folding table with drinks, surrounded by trees and cloudy sky.

Construction site with a metal structure frame in the foreground and a barn with rusted roof and a blue sky in the background.

Construction site with a crane lifting steel beams, workers in safety gear, and steel framework being assembled on a clear, sunny day.

Construction workers use cranes and lifts to assemble a metal building frame on a construction site with a clear blue sky and trees in the background.

Construction site with a wooden retaining wall and scaffolding, with dirt and rocks on the ground, under a blue sky.

Construction workers using a crane and boom lift to assemble a steel building framework on a construction site with blue sky and trees in the background.

Construction site with steel framework and construction equipment, trees in the background, and a portable toilet to the right

The construction process of building the Aurora Mills Annex building that was a custom build modeled after an 1890s train shed and built with historic accuracy, winning a Restore Oregon Demuro Award for Historic Preservation in new structures.

The construction process of building the Aurora Mills Annex that was a custom build modeled after an 1890s train shed and built with historic accuracy, winning a Restore Oregon Demuro Award for Historic Preservation in new structures.

Newel posts from a late 1800s bridge in Hudson, NY.

One of the salvaged newel posts from a Hudson, New York 1890s era railway bridge that is now installed in the Aurora Mills Annex building in Aurora, Oregon.

Original railroad panels we modeled our staircase railing from.

The railing in the Aurora Mills Annex that was modeled after an 1890s rail bridge in Hudson, New York. The newel posts were salvaged from the historic bridge and now connect the railing that was fabricated to match.

Interior of a large building under construction with wooden and metal framing, large windows, and construction materials scattered on the concrete floor.

Reclaimed maple gym flooring that was used ion the upstairs of the Aurora Mills Annex Building.

Reclaimed maple gym flooring that was used ion the upstairs of the Aurora Mills Annex Building in Aurora, Oregon.

Reclaimed maple gym flooring being put down in the upstairs of the Aurora Mills Annex Building in Aurora, Oregon.

Interior staircase in the Aurora Mills Annex made with salvaged fir shiplap and reclaimed tin on the stairs.

A view of the Aurora Mills Annex from the top of the neighboring 1890s era hop, grain & feed mill in Aurora, Oregon

Modern multi-story metal building with large windows and a landscaped area with small trees and plants in front

Our Annex building received the honor of winning one of the Restore Oregon Demuro Awards for Historic Preservation for our new Annex!

Each year, Restore Oregon selects historic projects across the state to receive DeMuro Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation, the state’s highest honor for the preservation, reuse, and revitalization of architectural and cultural sites.

2022 Demuro Awards

Black and white illustration of a hand pointing to the right, wearing a sleeve with a button cuff.

Learn more about the award and details regarding the historic value of the Annex at the button above!

Click through the gallery of photos submitted for the award below!

The interior of the Aurora Mills Annex that was a custom build modeled after an 1890s train shed. Built with historic accuracy, the building a Restore Oregon Demuro Award for Historic Preservation in new structures.

Spacious industrial-style interior with high ceilings, exposed I-beams, large windows, and a mezzanine level. The structure in Aurora, OR was built in 2022 modeled after an 1890s train shed in NY.

Empty industrial-style interior with large windows, exposed structural beams, and a concrete floor. The structure in Aurora, OR was built in 2022 modeled after an 1890s train shed in NY.

Empty industrial-style room with large windows, plywood walls, and a high ceiling with steel I-beams. The structure in Aurora, OR was built in 2022 modeled after an 1890s train shed in NY by the architectural salvage & antiques company Aurora Mills.

Interior view of a large industrial-style building with high ceilings, plywood walls, and salvaged barnwood staircases. The structure in OR was built in 2022 modeled after an 1890s train shed in NY by the architectural salvage company Aurora Mills.

Interior of the Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage industrial new-build structure with plywood walls, exposed i-beams, large windows, and an open loft area with salvaged barn wood staircases and steel railings.

Close up views of the i-beam structures that were used in the construction of the Aurora Mills Annex. The structure was modeled after an 1890s train shed and was recreated on a smaller scale using historically accurate design.

Close-up of a metal staircase post with wooden stairs in the background.

Wooden bench with a sign that says, 'Forget The Cares And Rest' placed in front of a window with green trees outside.

Empty industrial-style room with large windows, plywood walls, and a salvaged beam staircase. The structure in Aurora, OR was built in 2022 modeled after an 1890s train shed in NY by the architectural salvage & antiques company Aurora Mills.

Close-up of a wooden indoor railing with metal balusters and decorative lattice design, next to large windows with greenery outside.

Close-up of a metal railing with rounded finial posts, inside a building with wooden walls and large window in the background.

Close-up of a metal fence post with bolts and a decorative round top, outdoors with blurred background.

Interior of a wooden room with large windows, exposed metal support beams, and an electrical outlet.

Interior of a room with wooden walls, large window, metal dining table with chairs, brown leather sofa, and a colorful rug on a wooden floor.

Close-up of a decorative dark wood railing with round finials, in a room with wooden walls and large windows showing trees outside.

Close-up of industrial metal framework with pipes, wires, and structural supports, likely part of a building's ceiling or overhead system.

View looking down from a wooden step into a metal gate opening to a concrete floor with a visible crack.

Close-up of weathered gray and beige wooden planks with visible grain and texture.

Various potted plants and shrubs outdoors, including a large white pot with lavender, smaller black pots with yellow and green shrubs, and a succulent, on a paved surface.

Empty parking lot with potted plants on wheeled planters and an old rusty truck in the background surrounded by green trees.

Exterior of a modern industrial building with large windows, decorated with various potted plants and trees near the entrance, and a parking lot with parked vehicles in the background.

Modern multi-story building with gray metal siding, large windows, and a metal roof, surrounded by trees and a parking lot with potted plants and landscaped areas.

Exterior of a modern building with large windows, metal siding, and a landscaped front yard with young trees and plants.

Modern blue building with newly planted landscaping in front, featuring small trees and shrubs, in an area with other rustic, old buildings.

New modern two-story house with metal siding and large windows, surrounded by small landscaped plants and trees, in a semi-urban area.

A modern building with metal siding, large windows, and a metal awning over the entrance, surrounded by potted plants and trees in a parking lot with a backdrop of green trees.

Steel building with large glass windows and a sloped roof, surrounded by parking lot and greenery.

Modern commercial building with metal siding, large windows, and landscaped parking lot with potted plants and trees.

Modern two-story building with metal siding, large windows, and a parking lot with marked spaces and potted plants outside.

Exterior view of a modern building with metal siding and large grid windows, potted plants, a wooden bench, and a paved walkway.

Interior of a rustic cafe or restaurant with wooden furniture, vintage decor, and large windows with white curtains.

Now it’s full and ready to be SHOPPED!

Enjoy the natural light and high ceilings for a new perspective on some cool old stuff!

Our Annex building along with our lumberyard & lower warehouse close @ 4:30 PM.

Interior of an antique store with stained glass windows, wooden furniture, and vintage signs on the wall.

Head to our Explore page to take a virtual adventure of our campus!

EXPLORE

Learn more about what else is in Aurora at the Explore Aurora Oregon website!

exploreauroraoregon.com