BlockLyons, Kansas
14 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1894 and the latest in 1985. It stands in Lyons City. It lies in ZIP code area 67554. The Survey maps it on the Lyons quadrangle. 3,611 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,680 feet above sea level.
Research this city
On record in Lyons
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 3 records
Rice County Courthouselisted 2002- Lyons High Schoollisted 2005
- Rice County Jail and Sheriff's Residencelisted 2021
Population over time
2 figuresLyons fell from 3,739 to 3,611 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 3,739 | |
| 2020 | 3,611 | -128 (-3%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
6 surveys from 14 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1894 USGS Lyons quadrangle1:125000, 5 printings
- 1955 USGS Great Bend quadrangle1:250000, 3 printings
- 1957 USGS Great Bend quadrangle1:250000
- 1958 USGS Great Bend quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1970 USGS Lyons quadrangle1:24000
- 1985 USGS Great Bend quadrangle1:100000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
20 since 2015Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 20 fires within 5 miles of Lyons between 2015 and 2018, burning about 227 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 8 |
| Debris and open burning | 7 |
| Smoking | 2 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 1 |
| Fireworks | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 July 2017 | Fireworks | 200 acres | Rice County | 38 |
| 17 June 2018 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Kansas Forest Service | 35 |
| 8 March 2015 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Kansas Forest Service | 7 |
| 8 March 2015 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 8 |
| 8 March 2015 | Debris and open burning | 1.0 acres | Kansas Forest Service | 9 |
| 28 March 2015 | Smoking | under an acre | Kansas Forest Service | 9 |
| 1 March 2017 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | under an acre | Rice County | 9 |
| 3 February 2017 | Smoking | under an acre | Rice County | 2 |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
2 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 2 workings within 5 miles of Lyons: 2 producers. All of them still produce. What was taken out: Salt. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Salt Milling and Shipping | Salt | Producer | ||
| American Salt Mine & Mill | Salt | Producer |
Storms near this place
60 of 173 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Lyons in 173 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 88 hail, 68 thunderstorm wind, 11 flood, 5 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2007 | Flood | Lyons | $4,000,000 | Numerous, slow-moving thunderstorms produced widespread 2 to 5 inch rainfall amounts across Rice County from the late afternoon hours on May 23rd, to the early morning hours on May 24th. Excessive runoff caused area streams and creeks to overflow their banks, resulting in widespread flooding. Several rural and city roads were closed due to high water, agricultural land was inundated, and several roads countywide were damaged. Numerous homes and businesses received various magnitudes of flood damage. Some evacuations were needed along the Cow Creek. The community of Saxman was essentially surrounded by the flooded Cow Creek. Thankfully there were no injuries reported countywide. Combined public and private damages suffered across Rice County were likely around $4 million. |
| May 2007 | Flood | Lyons | $2,570,000 | US Highway 56 was closed between Chase and Lyons with about 2 feet of water flowing over it. K-14 was closed north of Lyons. Numerous other county roads were flooded throughout the entire county. Stretches of K-14 as well as numerous county roads were washed out during the flood. Damage to just public infrastructure was estimated to be at least 2.568 million dollars. |
| April 2010 | Hail | Lyons | $250,000 | The hail occurred with estimated 65 mph winds. Numerous vehicles and roofs received hail damage in town, some of which was rather extensive and severe. Incurred property damage is a rough estimate. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $250,000 | Monetary breakdown on farm losses: Dwellings and service buildings= $150,000; Structures (i.e. silos) =$50,000; Machinery=$25,000. Total acreage affected: 500,000. USDA Flash Situation Report contributed greatly to this narrative. In addition, power lines downed in many locations. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $250,000 | Metal facade covering 2nd floor of building located on east side of town square demolished. Gas meter crushed when limb fell onto it allowing natural gas to escape. Awning of car wash damaged. In addition, many vehicles blown off roads, including a sheriff's patrol car. Approximately 3,700 residents were without power. Tree damage was widespread, the most noteworthy being the uprooting of an elm with a 30-inch base that nearly landed on a motel situated on the east side of town. Area newspapers contributed greatly to this report. |
| May 1996 | Hail | Lyons | $250,000 | no account filed |
| August 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $200,000 | An intense supercell thunderstorm spread a swath of severe weather in the form of large hail and damaging winds from northwest to southeast across Rice county. The most widespread and extensive damage occurred along and either side of a line extending from Buxton through Lyons, and on into rural southeast Rice county. Hail damage to crops such as beans and milo was a total loss in some instances. However, the size of hail and crop damage amounts are unknown. Several trees and tree limbs were downed, along with power lines and power poles. Additionally, multiple sheds and irrigation systems were damaged from the high winds. Some roofs were damaged as well from the hail and wind combination, including the total loss of a convenience store in Lyons. Property damage amounts are rough estimates, and crop damage amounts are unfortunately unknown. |
| May 2005 | Hail | Lyons | $25,000 | A total of 35 vehicles damaged at a dealership. Of this total, 18 were 2005 models. One car sustained a broken windshield. Damage was limited due to the sparse number of hailstones achieving the 2.75 inch diameter. (Narrative courtesy of Lyons Daily News.) |
| June 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $25,000 | Half of a barn destroyed. Time and location estimates. (Narrative courtesy of Hutchinson News.) |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $25,000 | Damage to wheat crop east of Sterling and just north of Lyons. Corn crop damaged west of Lyons near Chase. |
| August 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $25,000 | TREES DOWNED ACROSS K-14. POWER POLES BLOWN DOWN 1N LYONS. |
| June 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $15,000 | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $10,000 | Back porch destroyed when large branch of locust tree fell onto it. |
| June 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $10,000 | Power lines downed. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $7,000 | Several power lines were downed from severe winds. The Lyons News contributed to this report. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $5,000 | Winds were estimated around 70 to 80 mph. Some tree damage was reported in Lyons. The Lyons News contributed to this report. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $5,000 | Numerous tree limbs were downed due to severe winds. Several of the limbs fell on to power lines. The Lyons News contributed to this report. |
| May 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $5,000 | Large motorcycle blown over. |
| May 2005 | Hail | Lyons | $5,000 | A 2nd dealership sustained damage to only 3 vehicles. As was the case 1 mile southeast of Lyons, damage was limited due to the sparse number of hailstones achieving the 2.75 inch diameter. (Narrative courtesy of Lyons Daily News.) |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $3,400 | The strong winds knocked down some small trees across town. One tree fell on a car severely damaging it. |
| June 2009 | Flash Flood | Lyons | $2,000 | Water was over Highway 14 north of Lyons. |
| August 2009 | Hail | Lyons | $1,000 | Half-dollar size hail cracked the windshield of a sheriff deputy's vehicle. |
| July 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $1,000 | Tree damage and "STOP" sign blown over. |
| September 2018 | Flood | Lyons | $500 | High water was reported over 12th road between N and O avenues along the Cow Creek. |
| August 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $500 | Small tree limbs were downed. |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $500 | Large tree limbs were blown down. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | $250 | 4 to 5 inch tree limbs downed. |
| September 2018 | Flood | Lyons | $100 | Several rural roads were flooded across the county. |
| October 2018 | Flood | Lyons | $100 | Isolated street flooding was reported in Lyons. Also several county roads were closed due to high water. |
| August 2015 | Flood | Lyons | $100 | Law enforcement reported heavy rainfall and some minor street flooding in town. |
| August 2013 | Flood | Lyons | $100 | Numerous county roads were impassible from high water. Kansas Highway 14 was partially covered with water. |
| August 2013 | Flood | Lyons | $100 | Water was reported over Kansas Highway 14 south of Lyons. |
| May 2009 | Flood | Lyons | $100 | Some street flooding was reported in town. |
| April 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | Lyons Airport measured a 60 mph wind gust. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | Measured at the AWOS station at Lyons Rice County Municipal Airport. Winds gusted up to 60 mph for at least 20 minutes between 2:55 AM CDT and 3:15 AM CDT. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | Measured at the Lyons Airport. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | These wind gusts were estimated. |
| September 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | A U-Haul trailer was blown over west of Lyons. Time of occurrence was estimated by radar. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | Four-inch diameter tree limbs broken along with a couple of larger, but weaker, branches. Powerlines are also down leaving parts of the city of Lyons without power. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | There was a report of widespread tree damage in Lyons. The winds were estimated to be around 70 mph. |
| April 2022 | Hail | Lyons | - | A KWCH viewer sent a picture via Twitter of the golfball sized hail. |
| April 2021 | Hail | Lyons | - | The hail occurred at the dispatch center. |
| May 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | A trained spotter reported the gust. |
| May 2021 | Hail | Lyons | - | Very heavy rain was also reported. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | The AWOS station at Lyons Rice County Municipal Airport measured a 67 mph wind gust. |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | Lyons Rice County Municipal Airport measured a gust of 59 mph. |
| October 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | Significant damage occurred to a building on the west side of town. All other buildings were unharmed. This occurred on the north side of a bow echo and was likely due to a strong mesvortex producing outflow. Small limbs were also reported down in a few locations and some power outages were also noted. |
| December 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | This was a measured wind gust. |
| June 2020 | Hail | Lyons | - | KAKE meteorologist sent picture via Twitter with two inch sized hail. The time of report was estimated from radar. |
| June 2020 | Hail | Lyons | - | KAKE meteorologist reported golf ball sized hail via social media. |
| July 2020 | Flood | Lyons | - | Water was reported over several county roads and even highway 14 for a short time. This was along Cow Creek which easily floods due to the narrow channel and surrounding flat land. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | Dispatch relayed a public report of a tree down on a power line. Time is estimated from radar. |
| April 2019 | Hail | Lyons | - | The hail size ranged from quarters to ping pong balls. |
| April 2019 | Hail | Lyons | - | The hail size ranged from quarters to ping pong balls. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | No damage was reported. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | Tree limbs were blown down in town. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | No damage was reported. |
| June 2019 | Hail | Lyons | - | Winds to 50 mph and hail up to nickel sized was reported. |
| May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | A rotating wall cloud was also reported. |
| May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lyons | - | Relayed by a trained spotter. |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Lyons | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q2310168 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 475805. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.