History Harvest: Lyon Family
History Harvest update! Thanks to Penny Thomas, we can share historic photos of members of the Lyon Family. The Lyons owned one of the first (and, today, oldest) homesteads in this area, dating back to the early 1800’s. The Lyon family continued to live at the Lyon Farm for over 150 years. “My grandmother, Lucille Lyon Blackmon, was born on the Lyon Family Farm. I have found a number of photos that belonged to my grandmother,” Penny told us. Thank you for the photos, Penny! Through historic records such as these, we can better understand the people who have shaped the National Heritage Area over time.
You can learn more about the Lyon property here: https://arabiaalliance.org/landmarks/lyon-farm/.
The ancestors of Flat Rock, today one of the oldest African-American communities in Georgia, were enslaved at the Lyon Farm and other farms around the area. Tours of the Flat Rock Archives begin at the Lyon Farm before travelling to other historically significant sites, including the Flat Rock Slave Cemetery and the T. A. Bryant, Sr. Homestead. You can learn more about the Flat Rock Archives at http://www.flatrockarchives.com/.
Arabia Mountain
Dominated by two granite outcrops, the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area offers natural wonders, compelling history and heart-pumping activity. This nationally significant landscape includes vibrant history, breathtaking beauty and intriguing cultural changes from early settlers to immigrant rock cutters, Trappist monks and one of the oldest African-American communities in Georgia.
