Born on November 20, 1831, twin brothers Sanford and Cyrus Lyon would go on to leave a lasting mark on early Santa Clarita through the creation of Lyon’s Station, one of the region’s first rest stops.

After journeying “around the horn” from Maine to California during the Gold Rush, the brothers took very different paths in early Los Angeles.

Sanford worked as a clerk for Alexander & Mellus, while Cyrus became known for his rougher, gunman reputation — a temperament that later earned him a captaincy in the California Rangers under Ygnacio del Valle.

Their most enduring legacy began in 1858, when Butterfield’s Overland Mail Stagecoach established its historic route from St. Louis to San Francisco.

As the coaches climbed over Frémont’s Pass (now the Newhall Pass) and into the Santa Clarita Valley, they stopped at the Lyon brothers’ property — soon known as Lyon’s Station — for warm meals, new horses, and a dependable waypoint on the demanding journey north.

Under Sanford’s steady management, Lyon’s Station quickly grew into a bustling frontier hub.

By 1868, it included a store, post office, tavern, stage depot, boarding houses, corrals, and even its own small cemetery, serving travelers, ranchers, and emerging local families.

Though the Butterfield line ended with the Civil War, the Lyons’ outpost remained central to the community for years.

Today, the site where Lyon’s Station once stood is occupied by the Eternal Valley Memorial Park.

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