Lyon Mountain Mining and Railroad Museum to unveil new exhibit

LYON MOUNTAIN | In the early 1800s George Collins, a trapper, is believed to have made the first discovery of iron in a brook that runs through Lyon Mountain to this day. The iron wasn't mined until 1868 due to the dense woods and lack of roads in the area. In 1873, Smith Weed and Andrew Williams formed the Chateauguay Iron Company. This company would go on to own the mining operation on Lyon Mountain. By 1879 the Chateauguay Railroad was formed allowing for more accessible transportation of the iron ore that was mined. It is estimated that in 1880 Clinton and Essex Counties totaled about one-fourth of the iron ore output for the United States, with Lyon Mountain being a significant contributor to that. In 1883 there was an estimated number of 277 forges in the area. The number of forges dropped to 14 by 1890 due to the discovery of vast deposits of easily accessible iron in the Mesabi Range in Minnesota. The iron in Minnesota was of lower quality than the iron in Lyon Mountain, thought to be some of the best ore on earth. In fact, the quality was so good that at the Chicago World Fair in 1893, the iron from Lyon Mountain won an award for quality. By 1898 a revival of the Clinton County iron business had begun. In 1939 Republic Steel took over the mining operation. The mines would stay open and in operation until 1967 when the mines were closed for good. After the mines closed community members began collecting artifacts from their time in the mine and eventually the first Lyon Mountain History Day was held in 1998, with a focus on local history. After the history day, the collection of artifacts began to grow, eventually leading to the creation of the Lyon Mountain Mining and Railroad Museum, located at 2914 Standish Rd. The museum sits in the former Lyon Mountain Depot Station, which was built in 1913, and displays local history artifacts, displays detailing how the mines work, interactive stations for kids (and adults) to enjoy, and more. The museum has recently undergone some upgrades such as the bathrooms being renovated, new memory boards being installed, new light fixtures being installed making it easier to read the names on the plaques on display, and the museum received some donations for new exhibits. Unfortunately, the Champlain Valley Transportation Museum closed its doors for good during the pandemic. As a result, they donated a six-ton switcher train engine along with its two replica ore cars to the museum. The train is located outside the Lyon Mountain Mining and Railroad Museum and has recently had a building built around it to keep it safe from the elements. The train will be interactive and has lights, bells, and horns that can be operated from inside the cab of the train. A railroad crossing sign (with lights and bells that are activated by motion), a diorama- complete with a scale train that will run, and a wooden phone booth from Lyon Mountain High School were also donated to the Lyon Mountain Mining and Railroad Museum by the Champlain Valley Transportation Museum. To celebrate the new displays, which are now ready for viewing, the museum will be hosting a ribbon-cutting event on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 1 p.m. The museum will be open that day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with different festivities going on inside. The museum is free to visit, but donations are always welcome. The museum will be open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. through August and only on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in September. The museum closes for the winter in October and will reopen for the summer in June. The museum can be reached with any questions during operating hours at 518-565-6278.

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Lyon Mountain Mining and Railroad Museum to unveil new exhibit

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