Lyons Colorado Real Estate

Lyons, Colorado

There's a small haven carved out of the Rocky Mountains where you can enjoy laughter, wildlife, music, folklore, and art. Not everyone finds it, but those who do find their eyes opened in wide amazement at the variety that life can bring. Come and live in Lyons, Colorado, to be a part of it.

What is Lyons like? It's located about 17 miles due north of Boulder, or just an hour out of Denver, at the juncture of the North and South St. Vrains rivers. Cheyenne, Wyoming, is less than ninety minutes away. You'll find you're only at some 5,300 feet above sea level, but the magnificent mountains just next to the town reach up more than 14,000 feet.

Just what is this place, anyway? Settlers heading out west began stopping in this area, feeling safe in the cradle of the mountains, in about 1850. One among them named Edward Lyon mapped the place out in 1880 because he was fascinated by the red sandstone outcroppings that were begging to be quarried, and the beautiful red rock became the basis for commerce. Even when availability of cement in the early 1900s slowed down trade, those who remained demonstrated a commitment to producing cement locally for use in infrastructure construction, quarrying, or other ventures.

Today the area holds about 4,000 people, half of them living in the city proper and half of them residing in the hills and valleys of the surrounding area. Lyons is a haven for artisans-sculptors, musicians, clay and paint artists, writers, and other gifted folk. The residents who aren't artists-doctors, teachers, clergymen, laborers, what have you-come to Lyons because they seek that culture in their lives. Art and music festivals are scheduled throughout the year. Stewardship of the land is taken seriously. There is a 30-foot banjo made of recycled materials! Good food and custom are the order of most days, and most of those days are sunny, by the way. The average household pulls in about $55,000, and people generally work within a half hour's drive of home.

What about schools for your kids? The St. Vrain Valley School District boasts an impressive report card of its own, with excellent ratings and small class sizes. Almost half of the students come from outside of the town proper. Besides the standard academic curricula for its students, the schools promote earth stewardship and artistic achievement.

Lyons is a vacation destination where you can live all year long. Buy a home for $250,000; with median prices at $230,000, it's easy to stay under $500,000. Or just buy a piece of land and build! The fact is, well over half of the homes here are occupied by their owners. This is a place where people come to visit, and they find they want to stay.