Aurum was established after gold prospecting on the east flank of the Schell Creek Range produced some good results around 1871. The camp quickly grew to two boarding houses, saloons, a blacksmith shop, store, and a ten-stamp mill. But the mines did not live up to expectations and most of the ore ran low grade. Aurum declined in the early 1880s with some sporadic activity in later years. The only remains today are of mill foundations and a cemetery.