The Friends of Lyon Mountain were formed by members of the Chateaugay Arts Council interested in creating a museum in Lyon Mountain. Many artifacts and photos had been collected for such events as Heritage Days, Mining Days, and Railroad Days, and the Friends wanted to find a permanent home in which to preserve and display these historic treasures.

The Friends of Lyon Mountain Mining and Railroad Museum is housed in the former Delaware and Hudson Railroad Station on Standish Road in Lyon Mountain, NY (map/directions). The Friends purchased the building, which was constructed in 1903, in August, 2000. Since then, the Friends have worked very hard to raise money and restore the building in order to make it suitable to house the museum. The Friends also succeeded in placing the building on the state and national historic registers, making the restoration project eligible for state and federal grants.

Through grants, donations, membership dues, and various fundraising efforts, funds have been accumulated and used to renovate the entire building with particular attention being placed on historical accuracy and authenticity. Among other projects, the exterior was fully restored, the interior painted and the floor refinished.

The Friends have also been very busy collecting, cataloguing and restoring artifacts; refurbishing furnishings; and organizing many displays. The artifacts are related, of course, to the iron ore mining and railroad industries, both of which played major roles in Lyon Mountain's history.

The Museum has opened on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, June through September in 2007, 2008, and 2009. It is anticipated that a similar schedule will be in effect for 2010. Friends members have volunteered their time to watch over the museum's contents and act as tour guides when the museum has been open to visitors. When the museum is open, various displays of artifacts may be viewed, and books and calendars are available for sale. Many visitors found they could not see everything in one visit and came back for more! If you're interested in helping or joining the Friends of Lyon Mountain, read on to see what you can do.

The Friends of Lyon Mountain offers two types of memberships. A single person may join the Friends for one year at a cost of $10. Alternatively, a single person may also obtain a lifetime membership at a cost of $500.

When the museum is open, members are admitted at no charge. In addition, the Friends send members a periodic newsletter to keep them up-to-date on the Friends' various activities and events.

In order to raise money for the tremendous expenses of restoration and operation, The Friends of Lyon Mountain are involved in various fundraising activities throughout the year. The Friends are a not-for-profit organization and hold dinners, raffles, and other events from which the proceeds go directly towards restoring, operating, and maintaining the museum.

A few of the ongoing or upcoming fundraising events are listed below. For more information about any of these events, please write to the address listed on our Contact Info page.