EARLY HISTORY

Lyon County, forming the northwest corner of the State of Iowa, is bounded on the north by the State of Minnesota, west by the Big Sioux River, which separates it from Dakota Territory; on the south by Sioux County, and by Osceola on the east. These limits embrace a beautiful region of country, extending 37 miles in length east and west, and about 17 miles in width, containing about 575 square miles, or 368,000 acres. The altitude of this county is about 1,400 feet above sea level, and it lies east of the middle of the United States.

EARLY HISTORY

Prior to the year 1851, the territory embraced within the present limits of Lyon County had never been designated by any particular name. And the vast region of country comprising Northwestern Iowa was almost entirely unknown.

The General Assembly of Iowa, by act approved January 15, 1851, created the county of Buncombe, comprising what is now Lyon County. The following circumstances gave rise to this singular name:

The Legislature which convened in 1851 was composed of a large majority favoring stringent corporation laws, and the liability of individual stockholders for corporate debts. This sentiment in the Legislature, on account of the agitation of railroad enterprises, then beginning brought a large number of prominent men to the capital. To have an effect on the General Assembly, they organized a lobby legislature, in which these questions were ably discussed. They elected as Governor, Verplank Van Antwerp, who delivered to this self-constituted body a lengthy message, in which he sharply criticized the regular Legislature. Some of the members of the latter body were in the habit of making long and useless speeches, much to the hindrance of business. To these be especially referred, charging them with speaking for buncombe, and recommended that as their lasting memorial, a county should be called Buncombe. This suggestion was readily seized upon by the regular Legislature, and the county of Buncombe was created with few dissenting votes.

By act of the General Assembly, approved January 12th, 1853, Buncombe County, with several others, was attached to the county of Wahkaw, for judicial and revenue purposes. The same Assembly, by act approved January 12th, provided for the organization of Wahkaw, which had been created in 1851, and by another act, approved at the same date, changed the name of Wahkaw to that of Woodbury.

Buncombe remained under the jurisdiction of Woodbury County, until its organization, January 1st, 1872,

By act of the General Assembly, approved September 11th, 1862, the name of Buncombe was changed to Lyon. This was in honor of the gallant General Nathaniel Lyon, who fell at the battle of Wilson's Creek, while leading the First Iowa Infantry in a charge.