340 High Street

P.O. Box 9

Lyons, Colorado 80540

303-823-5271

Exhibits
	A Photographic Walk Through of the Town. Observe an old time parlor.

News:

Lyons Redstone Museum on Facebook

THE LYONS REDSTONE MUSEUM will open Saturday, June 2, for their 34th summer season, and will be open daily Monday through Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sundays from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Stop by and learn the history of historic Lyons.

THIS FRIDAY, MAY 18, noon to 1:30 p.m., is Lyons Senior History Day at the Walt Self Senior Center. For May (History Month) the Lyons seniors will give their personal history. Most of us don’t know that Kathleen Spring moved to Lyons, Colorado for the big city of Detroit and Shirley Werner came from Chicago; that Billy Jackson, Jerry Ribble, Maxine Harkalis, and LaVern Johnson are Lyons’ natives, that Mary Lou came here from Loveland; that Lorraine Self came from Genoa, CO (a small town out on the eastern plains), that Becky Mack met Gerald while waitressing in Thornton, and he was a truck driver stopping to have lunch, that Alice Hilton’s husband Ron (Lyons Shop teacher) and Eva Fisher (Lyons Math teacher) are brother and sister, that several of us grew up on a farm milking cows, etc. Each senior has an interesting history to tell or write; where they grew up, where they went to school, why they came to Lyons, and what they think of their hometown, now. See you this Friday at Lyons History Day! To eat lunch with the seniors call 823-6177 on Thursday to make reservations. A group from Nederland will be present.

THE LYONS GOOD OLD DAYS starts with a pancake breakfast by firemen, a garage sale by Boy Scouts, a memorial to Wayne Werner at Sandstone Fountain (send funds in Wayne’s name to Box 49 Lyons, Co. 80540), a softball tournament in Bohn Park, carnival, beer tent, vendors, food, stage, dances, Kidspace, recognition of Lyons High School Classes, and Lyons High School seniors who are from Pioneer families, square dance, and 5K run. PLAN TO ATTEND LYONS 36TH ANNUAL “GOOD OLD DAYS.”

4/19/12: STUDIO TOUR
The Lyons Arts and Humanities Council is sponsoring the Lyons Art Map Studio Tour on the weekend of June 2 and 3, with each artist welcome to advertise their own wares/events/hours, but will all be included on an area map. This will be in conjunction with the opening of the Lyons Redstone Museum (9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), Sounds of Lyons concerts (music from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday in Bohn Park), a fashion show at Lyons ReRuns on Saturday afternoon, and an art opening reception for several sculptures on Main Street with a “Lyons Art Walk” held on Saturday evening. The event includes a sidewalk sale for Main and High Street vendors. The museum will hold a grand opening of the Lyons Redstone Museum, which will be open daily through September 30. For more information email Sandy Banta sbanta@townflyonscom

THANKS TO TOSH GOLIAS AND THE LYONS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION for hosting a computer program training session at the Google office last Friday. Several attended: Kathleen Spring - Lyons Historical Society, Clark Hodge, Steve Sims, Lori Stott, and Monica Sawyer-Lang, all from the Lyons Community Foundation, and Theresa Hoffman of the Lions Booster Club. They found it very beneficial.

The new History Colorado Center (1200 Broadway in downtown Denver), will officially open to the public on Saturday, April 28. The nearly 200,000 square foot, 110 million dollar center was designed by Colorado raised architect David Tryba. The building incorporates many features, which not only make it “green,” but also are designed to showcase local Colorado building materials. There are Douglas fir doors, a beetle-kill-pine ceiling, a terrazzo floor made out of the glass from recycled beer bottles, and figuring prominently throughout the building, sandstone from Lyons. And, continuing with the “green” theme, Lyons residents will be able to use their free community Eco-Bus passes to visit Denver’s newest museum.

4/12/12: GRANT PRESENTATION
LaVern Johnson and Priscilla Cohan of the Lyons Historical Society made their presentation before the Boulder County Scientific and Cultural Facilities Committee Tuesday evening for funds for museum operations. The Committee has $400,000 to disperse to 68 applications.
The awards will be announced in September.

FRIDAY, May 18, there will be the celebration of May History Month. The Lyons Historical Society is sponsoring a day, Friday, May 18, from noon to 1:30 p.m., to video tape the history of Lyons seniors; telling us where they were raised and how and why they came to Lyons. Should be interesting. Plan to attend. You can eat lunch with the Lyons Golden Gang by calling (303) 823-6771.

VOLUNTEER WEEK
This is Volunteer Appreciation Week, a time to thank all of you who volunteer for a good cause – PTO, Lions Booster Club, the Firemen, the Lyons Town Board, and all its Commissions, Parade of Lights, Lyons Outdoor Games, Lyons Good Old Days, 4-H, Scouts, various fundraisers, the museum and Lyons Historical Society, as well as all organizations, all functions and activities. What would we be like without our many volunteers.
Myself, I find I am a fulltime volunteer, spending many hours writing grants, on the Town Board, running the museum (36 years) and the square dance (54 years), on the Parks & Recreation Commission (47 years). Wow! The time goes on when you are hopefully doing some good! Thanks to all.

3/22/12: LETTERS OF SUPPORT are still welcomed by the Lyons Historical Society for the State Historical Preservation Grant due on April 2, to be taken to Denver on Friday, March 30.
Write a “Letter in Support” of the efforts to complete the Restoration of the Lyons Redstone Museum to: Colorado Preservation Fund, 1200 Broadway, Denver, Colorado 80203, and send to the Lyons Historical Society, Box 9, Lyons, Colorado, 80540 by next Wednesday, March 28. The town’s 1881 schoolhouse is now the museum with its restoration needs to be completed: repointing the mortar between the stone with the antiquated rounded tool used when built, and painting of the steel panels on the upper story. The total project is estimated at $66,000. Grant applicaton is $49,500 with matching funds of 16,500, with 1/3 each paid by the Town, School District, and Lyons Historical Society. Since we were not funded last year, we are making a special effort to “dot all the I’s and cross all the T’s” and to sound influential to the committee of scorers. Wish us luck to get funding to complete this restoration project Thank you.

FRIDAY, MAY 18, the month of May is History Month throughout the nation. The Lyons Historical Society is sponsoring a “Senior History Video.” A time to create a video to gather the history of the members of the Lyons Golden Gang, on Friday, May 18, noon to 1:30 p.m. It will be interesting to hear the history of these folks, their heritage, where they grew up, about their families, and how and why they moved to Lyons. Each has their own unique story. Only a few seniors are Lyons natives: LaVern Johnson, Maxine Harkalis, Jerry Ribble, and Bill Jackson. Others come from afar (It will be interesting to hear their story). Plan to attend. Call (303) 823-6771 to have lunch that day.

BOOK SIGNING by Author Diane Goode Benedict this Friday, March 9, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at the Used Book Emporium, 346 Main Street, Longmont. Benedict is a local author and will sign her books: Birth of a Quarry Town-1800s Lyons, Colorado; From Hoofbeats to Pickups on Hygiene, Colorado; Lefthand Canyon to the Plains on Altona Community Boulder County, Colorado; and Refuge in the Valley on 1800’s Pella, Colorado. Contact Diane at www.appsplus.mesanetworks.net

LETTERS OF SUPPORT are again needed for the Lyons Historical Society, dba Lyons Redstone Museum, for a State Historical Rehabilitation Grant that is due April 1. Although, not funded last year, the Society says, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!” The Society is applying for funds to finish the rehabilitation of the museum,:repointing the sandstone with the antique rounded tool that was used in 1881 and painting the upper story panels. The project is estimated to total $50,000, of which $30,000 will be applied for, and $15,000 is needed as matching funds, with 1/3 paid by each-the Lyons Historical Society, the Town of Lyons, and the School District. Please send us a Letter of Support before March 26, to support the rehabilitation of the Lyons Redstone Museum, built in 1881, as the town’s first schoolhouse. Address your letter to: State Historical Fund, Civic Center Plaza, 1560 Broadway, Suite 400, Denver, CO. 80202, and send to the Lyons Historical Society, Box 9, Lyons, CO 80540. The letter will be included with the Grant Application. Thank you very much.

THANKS TO THE STAGECOACH QUESTERS who helped fund the Step/Sidewalk/Retaining Wall project at the Lyons Redstone Museum which will be done within a few weeks. The project, costing $5,l65, will fill in the concrete in the steps, replace and reset some of the sidewalks, do an artistic sandstone filler around the sewer pipe, and fix the retaining wall where it is cracking or has broken. The Questers grant received was for $3,500, with the balance of $1,666 paid by the three entities of $555.25 each.

KATHLEEN SPRING of the Lyons Historical Society attended the Boulder County Preservation Forum last Saturday morning. Although the roads were very slippery, she got there. Seventeen members attended. Each gave a report on what their history organizations had done the past year, their future projects. And they enjoyed a tour of the Boulder Oddfellows Hall that has been restored with State Historical Preservation Funds. Kathleen reported last year’s goings-on of the Lyons Society: purchased the 20 stereo views of Lyons 1908s and nine post cards of the 1940s & 50s, and saved the DW King bird collection, (all displayed in the museum). They were honored at the Lyons Good-Old Days the long-time contractors and self-Employed of the Lyons area, and the High graduates of Lyons pioneers: Zackary Brodie, Abe Vasquez, Brysen Daughton, Colten Hammans, Jaicy Sutak, and Dugan Tomczak, besides operating the Lyons Redstone Museum daily June through September, as well as fundraisers, dues and donations. Thanks, Kathleen.

SCFD REPORTS AND GRANTS are due Feb. 15, and March 19. LaVern Johnson of the Lyons Historical Society and Priscilla Cohan, of the Lyons Clarifer project, attended a workshop last Saturday at the Northglenn recreation building to get final changes and instructions for the process. SCFD is a 1\10th of 1% sales tax paid by seven metro counties. Each county dispenses grants in the amount taken in by their county. Boulder County receives around $400,000 and gives it to nearly 100 applicants. A very helpful funding source to the Lyons Redstone Museum, which receives money for museum operations, and the Lyons Parks & Recreation Department.

THE BOULDER COUNTY HISTORY PRESERVATION FORUM will be held this Saturday, Feb. 4, from 9:15 to 1l:30 a.m., at the Odd Fellows Hall in Boulder, 1543 Pearl Street, which has been restored recently through a State Historical grant Public invited.

NEW BOOK AT THE MUSEUM
Several members of the Lyons Historical Society attended the presentation of “Niwot-the Railroad Town,” by Anne Dyne, who recently wrote a book, which is on sale for $20 from the Lyons Historical Society, (303) 823-5925.

CONGRATULATIONS to Jeff Gagliardi and Clark Hodge who won the second annual “Spirit of Lyons Award”, last Tuesday evening at the Lyons Chamber of Commerce Social for their Sketch-A-Palooza event during the Lyons Good Old Days. The event set the Guinness World Record for having over 250 people (they had 372) participate. A truly stunning event, which brought many Lyons residents and visitors out. Hodge, who has been lamenting the fact that the Lyons Good Old Days Parade has been cancelled, is looking for something exciting for this coming Good Old Days, June 22 to 24. A few years ago, he had his own parade with an old firetruck filled with screaming kids. Last year the record breaking Sketch-A-Paloooza. What is coming this year? Stay tuned!

TAKE NOTE
Wayne Werner will be honored for his years of volunteering for the Lyons Visitors’ Center, Golden Gang, Parks and Recreation, Lions Club, etc. A memorial program will honor him during the Lyons Good Old Days on Saturday, June 23. If you wish to donate to this memorial, mail a check to Lyons Parks and Recreation – Box 49, Lyons, CO 80540.

SOME HISTORY
We recently heard from Ginger (Livingston) Sanders of Oregon, whose family, Mary and Donald Livingston lived in Lyons at the turn-of-the-century. Donald was a brother to Mary Lowe Livingstone; he came from Scotland and was a quarry man. He and his brother-in-law, James Lowe, operated a small quarry and worked for the Murphy-Brodie Quarry. Bill Boone took Ginger around the quarry when she was here a couple of years ago. She states: “Everyone in town was incredibly nice to me, especially Andrea from the restaurant. I’ll be back there someday soon.”
Also from Verle and Marlyss Bradshaw, now of Mesa, Arizona, who called to say that her husband, Verle, worked for thirty years with his father Ranza Bradshaw, from the 1960s to the 1980s on the various homes he built in Lyons, and wanted to be added to the museum’s list of contractor’s, whom we honored last year during the Lyons Good Old Days.
The couple with daughter, Tina, moved to Arizona in 1982, after Verle suffered a back injury. They took care of his mom, Lena, for several years until her death at age 93. They have one grandson. Marlyss relates that Brad and Verle built many homes in Lyons: the Schuyler Subdivison on 5th Avenue, where Broomfield home, and a home out on the South St. Vrain that Marie McQuery lived. Nice to hear from them!

THE LYONS REDSTONE MUSEUM (town's 1881 school building), 340 High Street, is open
daily June 2nd thru Sept. 30th. You will enjoy the displays and learning the history of Lyons.
Also visit the Lyons Historic District-15 sandstone buildings built at the turn of the century.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS in 2011: Thanks to all who donated funds to purchase 20 Stereo Views
of Lyons 1908; and 9 old postcards (1940-50), and saved the D.W. King's Bird collection; We received grants from the Town-summer employees; SCFD & Blue Mountain Foundation-Museum operations; Lyons Community Foundation-Kids program; Restoration; and Google
and Stagecoach Questers-Preservation funds. We continually solicit Dues and Donations
and hold fundraisers to keep us going. Donations are tax-exempt. Send to Box 9, Lyons, Co.

Thanks to all who sent a Letter of Support for the Preservation Grant. We did not get
funded, and have to try again by April 1st, for funds to complete pointng the sandstone and painting the panels of the museum. Please send us another letter to:
Colorado State Historical Fund, Civic Center Plaza, 1560 Broadway, Suite 400, Denver, Co.
80202 We have to raise matching funds to complete the restoration.

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LET’S START LYONS’ OWN “DAY OF GIVING”
Let’s each give $25 (or more if possible) to a Lyons non-profit that you are connected with. It will help with their projects, and you will “do your good deed for the day.” The non-profits I can think of right now are: Lyons Community Foundation, Box 426; Lyons Parks & Recreation (fireworks) or name your project, Box 49; Lyons Historical Society, dba: Lyons Redstone Museum, Box 9; matching funds to finish Museum Restoration (paint upper panels and point the sandstone) Box 9; Lyons History Video Project, Box 274; Lyons Girl Scouts, Box 1719; Lyons Boy Scouts, 5363 Ute Highway, Longmont, CO 80503; Lyons Golden Gang, Box 1290; Student Activists, Box 590; D.W. King plaques, Box 9; Lyons Arts and Humanities Council (statues on Main Street), Box 49; and to the Lyons churches: Lyons Community, Foothills Baptist, The River Church, and Old Stone Church, for their many projects. Call (303) 823-5925 with your non-profit.
Or give to special funds to honor Gerald Mack (a bench at the Lyons Depot Library) and Wayne Werner (to enhance the Lyons Fountain in Sandstone Park) Send to Box 49, Lyons, CO.

The LyHistSociety won a grant from Comm.Fund for Kathleen Spring to continue the History Day Camp for a 3rd year! They also got a grant to repair sun-block curtains and display antique clothes. Thank You Lyons Community!

THIS THURSDAY, SCFD will pass out the $400,000 of checks to over 60 non-profit organizations who are having various cultural, scientific and historic programs and projects, at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th Street, Boulder at 6 p.m.
The Lyons Historical Society will receive $3,000 for museum operations including: utilities, fire protection, phone and monitoring, insurance, supplies, maintenance, displays, etc., which is greatly appreciated.

A REMINDER OF THE HISTORY OF LYONS HIGH SCHOOL
For the new folks, or as a reminder, we must not forget Lyons’ years (1948-1974) of struggle to keep our High School here in Lyons. Before 1962 they tried to just have one county high school; then (1962-1970) one large school in Longmont. Thanks to the outlying areas that stood up for small schools in their own community, LYONS HIGH SCHOOL was saved.! To show you the dedication to save our High School, we pay tribute to Wayne Maurer and Fred Robb, who sat on the front seat at the School Board meetings for 14 years, and to Ada Lou Hammans (mother of Rick, who was PTO President in 1967) who filled the Elementary Gym with Lyons protesters. She asked all 500 there to stand up, if they DID NOT WANT TO LOSE OUR SCHOOL. They stood enmass. Very heartwarming! Our Thanks!

LYONS DECENDANTS VISIT LYONS
Visiting Lyons recently were: Berene (McConnell) Sullivan of Boulder, 1942 graduate of Lyons High School; and daughter, Rosamond, [(my sister; daughter of Bernie & Irene McConnell, and granddaughter of Albert James and Bertha (Reese) McConnell (1895); and great granddaughter of John & Catherine Reese (who homesteaded where the High School is in 1862.] (Thus the names of: Reese Street and McConnell Drive).
Kristie Hinke of Platteville,visited her cousin Maxine (Ohline) Harkalis and the Lyons Redstone Museum. Her mother was Marilyn (King) Elshof daughter of Frank and Helen (Brown) King granddaughter of Hugh and Clara Bell Brown, who came from Carthage, Missouri to Lyons by train in 1918. Maxine is the daughter of Golda (Brown), the sister of Helen King, and Art Ohline. Kristie’s mother, Marilyn, passed away in November of 1984, and she had not been in contact with her Lyons cousins since.

Also, Scott, Jodre, Emma, and Eli Nicholls of Littleton, the grandson of Grant Gilger who came to Lyons in 1906 from Iowa due to his wife, Mattie, having tuberculosis. They camped in Meadow Park and were given housing by M. J. Scanlon who had their home above the Golden Rule Store (now the vacant lot of the Outdoor Market). Gilger operated the Lyons Mercantile and Lumber Co., on Main Street and 4th Avenue, which they operated until his death in 1934. His two daughters were Zella, who married Carl Frank, who operated the Frank Meat Market (now The Fork) and Claudine, who married Wayne Keinonen of Colorado Springs. Their daughter, Natalie, who married Thomas Nichols is the mother of Scott. Natalie, who lives in Indianapolis, visits Lyons whenever she visits Scott and family.

THE LYONS REDSTONE MUSEUM is the recipient of a $3500 grant from the Colorado Questers group, to re-set the steps and sidewalks at the museum. The members will present the check this Thursday. Their Motto is, “This Place Matters.”
The Society can apply for funding to paint the steel panels on the upper-story this November. Our thanks to this ambitious group of historians.

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