Lyons

History

The first settlers of Lyons came in the summer of 1866. The fertile soil of the Logan Valley, combined with the commercial promise provided by access to the railroad after 1881, assured the life of the town. Incorporated in 1884, the village was named for Waldo Lyon, a prominent citizen upon whose land the plots were laid out. Residents have continued to abide by a provision in Lyons' deed stipulating that liquor not be sold within the town at risk of forfeit of the property. The Lyons Roller Mill was erected in 1869. The three-story structure was powered by water from a dam built across Logan Creek just west of the town, and was in operation until 1931. Many of the buildings of the town are constructed of brick manufactured in a brickyard which began operation in 1878. The swimming pool sits in the depression from which the clay was taken. One of the finest trotting tracks in the country opened in 1891. Just one-fourth mile west of Lyons named the Kite Track. Famous horses broke world records and won large purses on this kite-shaped race track before hard times ended racing after 1893.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Lyons is on U.S. Route 77, south of the Omaha Indian Reservation and west of the Missouri River.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  301
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  246
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  238
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  234
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  222
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  208
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  176
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  175

Largest nearby schools

• OAKLAND CRAIG ELEMENTARY
  Elementary · OAKLAND · 223 students · 11.7:1 ratio
• OAKLAND CRAIG JUNIOR-SENIOR HIGH
  High · OAKLAND · 193 students · 10.7:1 ratio
• NORTHEAST ELEMENTARY AT LYONS
  Elementary · LYONS · 150 students · 10:1 ratio
• NORTHEAST SECONDARY SCHOOL
  High · LYONS · 124 students · 11.3:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.3 — 2010-11-18
  4 km E of Octavia, Nebraska