Lyons

History

For millennia, the land now known as Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans. Although Coronado's exact route across the plains is uncertain and has been widely disputed, his men and he are thought to have camped near the present location of Lyons on their quest for Quivira, a Native American place that Indians to the southwest had told them was fabulously wealthy in gold. West of Lyons is a cross commemorating Juan de Padilla, a member of Coronado's expedition, who returned the following year as a missionary. He was killed in 1542 by Native Americans after establishing a church in the area, and is considered the first Christian martyr in North America. In 1803, most of modern Kansas was secured by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Lyons Main Street (U.S. Highway 56) is based on the Santa Fe Trail. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1867, Rice County was founded. Lyons was originally called Atlanta, and under the latter name was founded in 1870. It was renamed Lyons in 1876, in honor of Freeman J. Lyons. In 1878, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and parties from Marion County and McPherson County chartered the Marion and McPherson Railway Company. In 1879, a branch line was built from Florence to McPherson, in 1880, it was extended to Lyons, and in 1881, it was extended to Ellinwood. The line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The line from Florence to Marion, was abandoned in 1968. In 1992, the line from Marion to McPherson was sold to Central Kansas Railway. In 1993, after heavy flood damage, the line from Marion to McPherson was abandoned. The original branch line connected Florence, Marion, Canada, Hillsboro, Lehigh, Canton, Galva,…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. According to the Köppen climate classification, Lyons has a humid continental climate, Dfa on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  114
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  99
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  90
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  78
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  63
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  57
• Red-tailed Hawk

  Buteo jamaicensis (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  54
• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  53

Largest nearby schools

• Sterling Grade School
  Elementary · Sterling · 260 students · 13.7:1 ratio
• Sterling Junior High/Senior High
  High · Sterling · 214 students · 11.3:1 ratio
• Lyons High School
  High · Lyons · 212 students · 10.6:1 ratio
• Lyons Middle School
  Middle · Lyons · 187 students · 9.8:1 ratio
• Lyons Park Elementary
  Elementary · Lyons · 181 students · 9.5:1 ratio
• Lyons Central Elementary
  Elementary · Lyons · 157 students · 11.2:1 ratio
• Chase Elem
  Elementary · Chase · 68 students · 8.5:1 ratio
• Chase High
  High · Chase · 44 students · 8.8:1 ratio