Lyons, Colorado facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lyons, Colorado
Statutory Town
Downtown Lyons toward the intersection of U.S. Highway 36 and State Highway 7
Nickname(s):  Double Gateway to the Rockies
Location of Lyons in Boulder County, Colorado.
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Boulder
Founded	1880
Platted	1881
Incorporated (town)	April 10, 1891
Founded by	Edward S. Lyon
Government
• Type	Statutory Town
Area
• Total	3.53 km2 (1.36 sq mi)
• Land	3.49 km2 (1.35 sq mi)
• Water	0.04 km2 (0.01 sq mi)
Elevation	1,628 m (5,341 ft)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,209
• Density	627.78/km2 (1,626.30/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code	80540
Area code(s)	303 & 720
FIPS code	08-47070
GNIS feature ID	2412930

Lyons is a small town in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. In 2020, about 2,209 people lived there. Lyons is special because it sits where two creeks meet: North St. Vrain Creek and South St. Vrain Creek. It's also only about 20 miles east of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Because of its location at the crossroads of State Highway 7 and U.S. Highway 36, which both lead to the national park, Lyons is often called "The Double Gateway to the Rockies."

History of Lyons

Long ago, in the 1600s, the Ute Nation lived in the Colorado area. Other tribes like the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Comanche also came to the region. The Utes were the last tribe to be moved to Indian reservations after the Colorado Gold Rush. They were the only tribe that explored the mountains and the Lyons area deeply. The Plains Indians liked the wide grasslands, which were perfect for hunting bison.

In the 1860s, families from the eastern United States started settling in the foothills. They built ranches and farms. The town of Lyons was officially started in 1880 by Edward S. Lyon. He bought 160 acres of land. He saw that the red sandstone rocks in the area could be easily dug out and used. Lyon planned the town in 1881, and it became an official town in 1891. No one knows for sure why an "s" was added to the end of the town's name.

The first important building in Lyons was the red sandstone schoolhouse, built in 1881. As more people moved to town, a second floor was added a few years later. This building was also used for church services and town meetings until the Old Stone Church was built in 1894. In 1979, the schoolhouse was saved from being torn down. It was turned into the town's history museum by the Lyons Historical Society.

Lyons is surrounded by large red sandstone mountains on three sides. The rock here is from the Permian period, about 260 million years ago. It is known as some of the hardest sandstone in the world and has a unique red or salmon color. Edward S. Lyon started the quarrying (rock digging) business, but it wasn't very successful for him. He later moved to California. Many other owners took over and created successful quarries over time. The Denver, Utah and Pacific Railroad built narrow gauge tracks into Lyons in 1884 to help move the sandstone from the quarries.

Around 1910-1912, the rise of the cement industry slowed down the sandstone business. Rock production almost stopped. The only major sandstone building project during this time was the new campus for the University of Colorado. The sandstone business came back to life in the 1930s. This was when the red sandstone started to be used more for decoration than for big construction projects. Today, it's a thriving industry, and Lyons sandstone is shipped all over the world.

On September 12, 2013, a big flood badly affected Lyons. All roads into and out of the town were blocked. Water and sewer services were also cut off. The National Guard helped everyone leave the town. While some mountain residents needed helicopter rescues, most Lyons residents could drive out because the main road, Highway 36, wasn't completely washed away.

Historic Buildings in Lyons

Lyons works hard to protect its history. The Lyons Historical Society, started in 1976, helped save the 1881 schoolhouse (now the Lyons Redstone Museum) and the old train depot (now town offices). They have also recorded videos of the town's first families and published books about Lyons' history.

Lyons has a special Historic District with fifteen sandstone buildings. These buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They were all built between the early 1870s and 1917 by skilled workers using local stone. They include shops, homes, and public buildings:

• Griff Evans Homestead (1870): Where the Rocky Grass and Folks Festivals are held today.
• 480 Seward St. (1890): Chisholm/Truebood Home.
• 413 Seward St. (1890): Cunningham/Weese Home.
• 409 Seward St. (1890): Montgomery Home.
• 426 High St. (1884): Lyons General Store, now Ralston Bros. Antiques.
• NW Corner 4th and High Streets (1894): Old Stone Congregational Church.
• NE Corner 4th & High Streets (1881): Lyons School, now the Redstone Museum.
• 427 High St. (1890s): Dynamite storage building.
• 450 Main St. (1881): McAllister Saloon/Frank Market, now Main Stage Brewing.
• 415 Main St. (1890): General Store/Kandy Kitchen, now South Creek Ltd.
• 401 Main St.(1917): Turner Stevens Building, now Solhawk.
• 5th & Broadway (1881): Train Depot, Horse Water Tank (1897).
• S. St. Vrain (1870): Bradford Homestead, 330 Bradford Street, privately owned.
• 1/2 mi. E. on Hwy. 66 (1885): Sites Milkhouse, now C. Shepard Gallery.
• 3 Mi. E on Hwy. 66 (1917): Montgomery School, now M. Weston home.

Geography of Lyons

Lyons is located in the northern part of Boulder County, Colorado. The town covers about 3.2 square kilometers (1.2 square miles). A small part of this area, about 0.04 square kilometers (0.01 square miles), is water. This water comes from St. Vrain Creek and its smaller branches.

Population of Lyons

In 2000, there were 1,585 people living in Lyons. By 2020, the population had grown to 2,209. About 33.8% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average age of people in Lyons was 38 years old.

Lyons Redstone Museum

Lyons Redstone Museum

The Lyons Redstone Museum used to be the town's schoolhouse. It was built in 1881 and was the first big building in town. Students from first to eighth grade learned there. It sits on a small hill and is a landmark for people looking at old photos of Lyons. The original building was made from local red sandstone by skilled stonemasons.

For its first few years, the schoolhouse was also used for church services and town meetings. As the town grew, a second floor was added in 1895. Later, when the town built new schools, they planned to tear down the old schoolhouse. But the Lyons Historical Society fought for three years to save it. They succeeded and turned it into their history museum.

The museum is open from June 1 to October 1, seven days a week. It opened in 1979. It's free to visit, but donations are welcome. On the first floor, you can see historical displays. These include an old bank teller cage, a recreated living room and kitchen, and old farm tools. There are also collections of arrowheads and old electric insulators. This floor also has the town's history archives, video interviews with early families, and a small gift shop.

The second floor has some displays, like old ice cream parlor booths. But mostly, it has many black-and-white photos of early Lyons, from the 1880s to the 1940s. Along the walls, you can see graduation photos from Lyons High School, starting in the 1930s. The museum is located at 412 High Street in Lyons.

Culture in Lyons

Art in Lyons

The free Lyons Studio Tour happens every year in May or June. Up to 50 artists show their work in their homes or in local shops and galleries. For two years, there was also a Sculpture Trail. This trail featured outdoor sculptures made just for it, along a special path. A booklet explained the art and told a story for people to follow.

The Lyons Arts and Humanities Council helps promote art in downtown Lyons. There are several permanent outdoor art pieces, including sculptures made from local sandstone. These include giant eggs, flower containers, a fountain, and a small stage for performances.

In 2008 and 2009, the town improved its two main streets. They added sandstone sidewalks, flowers, seating areas, and sculptures. Lyons won a Governor's Award for Downtown Excellence in 2010 for these improvements.

A community art project called "Lyons Past, Present and Future" is a mural on the outside wall of the Visitor Center. It shows life in Lyons. Another project, The Clarifier Project, involves the community painting tiles to decorate an old wastewater treatment building next to St. Vrain Creek.

Music in Lyons

Lyons is famous for its two big music festivals at Planet Bluegrass. These are the Rockygrass Bluegrass festival and the Folks Festival folk music festival. People come from all over the country to enjoy the music. The festivals are held on open grassy grounds, next to a red sandstone mountain and St. Vrain Creek. Besides the main stage, there's also the Wildflower covered pavilion for smaller concerts year-round.

The Sounds of Lyons concert series started in 2009. It brings talented classical musicians to perform over one spring weekend. High Street Concerts began in 2001. These concerts happen in the winter and feature national and local acoustic and Americana music. There are also community concerts and dances throughout the year. Weekly summer concerts are held in Sandstone Park. The Red Rock Ramblers started square dancing in Lyons in 1958 and offer dances every Saturday during the summer.

Recreation in Lyons

The Lyons area is great for outdoor activities. You can enjoy mountain biking, hiking, camping, fly fishing, climbing, and whitewater kayaking. Lyons is next to Hall Ranch Open Space and Heil Valley Ranch Open Space. Hall Ranch has over 12 miles of trails and covers 3,206 acres of natural land. Heil Valley Ranch has 4,923 acres of natural land. These trails are open for hikers, mountain bikers, and people riding horses.

The Picture Rock Trail opened in 2008. It connects the Heil Valley Ranch trails to Lyons and the Hall Ranch trails. Picture Rock is 5.5 miles long and was built by volunteers.

Town Services

The Town of Lyons is protected by the Lyons Fire Protection District and the Boulder Sheriff's Department. Lyons is part of the St. Vrain Valley School District. It has both Lyons High School and an elementary school.

The town does not have its own hospitals. Residents use Longmont United Hospital or Boulder Community Hospital, which are a short drive away. The Fire Department also provides emergency services, including EMT duties.

See also

In Spanish: Lyons (Colorado) para niños