Lyons History
Today, Lyons is sometimes referred to as the “Double Gateway to the Rockies,” and is known for its unique art, major folk and bluegrass music festivals, and mountain recreation.
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While mountain towns across the state are exploding and experiencing record expansion and change, one mountain town is embracing its past and maintaining a culture steeped in history. Lyons is preserved in a time capsule, with no chain stores or restaurants, a quaint main street district, and an old-west downtown vibe that refuses to give in to rapid growth and uncensored development.
The town, with fewer than 2,000 residents, is nestled in the stone formations that led to its establishment as a quarry town and limits its ability or interest in expansion. Lyons boasts a colorful Main Street with locally-mined sandstone facades, historical buildings, unique shops and restaurants and numerous galleries.It is also the home to the Lyons Redstone Museum, an institution dating back to the towns' establishment in the 1800s. The museum is celebrating its 40th year in the town's original school house and offers daily tours and exhibits featuring Lyons' rich past. Coming up on Saturday, June 29th is Lyons Annual Good Old Days celebration, an ode to the town's settlement by pioneering families engaged in stone quarries and railroads.
Below is are some of the many ways to explore history and a nostalgic downtown in Lyons, and discover this town's rich heritage.
Today, Lyons is sometimes referred to as the “Double Gateway to the Rockies,” and is known for its unique art, major folk and bluegrass music festivals, and mountain recreation.
Over the years, Lyons has offered special events, workshops, speakers and exhibits in May, in honor of May History Month.
Built in 1894 for $3,147 using sandstone quarried from the nearby canyon walls, this was one of the first of Lyons’ landmark buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Lyons' distinguishing red sandstone traces back to the town's origin, and can now be found throughout the country.
A treasure trove of antiques housed in a historic building.
The Lyons Redstone Museum (the town’s old schoolhouse built in 1881) is a great place for folks to visit. It features Lyons history in displays, photographs, and genealogy. There is also a gift and book shop.
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