Lyons, Colorado was founded in 1880 by Edward S. Lyon. Lyon noted outcroppings of red standstone, purchased 160 acres of land from H.F. and Isabelle Sawyer, and platted the town of Lyons in 1881. The town was incorporated ten years later, in 1891, and has developed a local stone quarry industry which delivers sandstone throughout the world. Lyons has been designated a historic district and has fifteen sandstone buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places. All of these structures were constructed of the native sandstone by master craftsmen from the early 1870s to 1917, and include commercial, public, and residential buildings.Lyons is known as the Double Gateway to the Rockies for its two highways which take up you up the North and South St. Vrain Canyons into the mountains and west to Rocky Mountain National Park. The town has become a mecca for artists, musicians (Lyons is known for its music festivals), and outdoors enthusiasts (hiking, innertubing, kayaking, mountain biking, and rock climbing are all popular local activities). Sources: city-data.com, colorado.com, lyons-colorado.com |