Monday, June 6, 2011

Lyon Park Neighborhood

Lyon Park was developed in the 1920s by an attorney Frank Lyon. Frank Lyon was an attorney for the Interstate Commerce Commission who represented the Pittsburgh Coal Company, the Atlas Portland Cement Company, the Luckenbach Steamship Company, and the American Hawaiian Steamship Company. In 1920, Lyon began to develop the 300 acres of land that became Lyon Park. He donated the land for the community park and dedicated it to his son that was killed in France in World War I.
Two things helped the development of Lyon Park: the trolley/railway and the automobile. These transportation devices helped develop Lyon Park because they connected them to other communities and made trade easier.
At the beginnings of the development of Lyon Park lots with 50 foot frontage were sold to each buyer; the lots were priced from $350 to $500. In order to expedite the development of Lyon Park, Frank Lyon, with his experience as an attorney helped the clients pay their bills and have affordable loans. In 1920, the population was 8,547.

Sources:

"Cyclopedia of American Biography." New Series 28 268-270.

Professor Longstreth, "Historical Analysis of Lyon Park, Arlington County, Virginia." (1988)

Dr. Ramirez, Russell E. Lee. "Neighborhood History Preservation Study, Lyon Park Neighborhood, Arlington, Virginia." (1987)

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