Lyons Colorado

Walking around Lyons, Colorado, with its red sandstone cliffs, I noticed this brick structure tucked on a side road. This little building was once a powder magazine, a structure built to store explosives during the town’s quarrying era.

Lyons was a working town carved out of rock with its sandstone quarried buildings across Colorado. Blasting powder and dynamite were daily necessities and storing them safely could mean the difference between routine work and disaster.

The magazine’s thick brick walls, no windows, and its heavy door made sense. It was a safeguard in a time when slab rock was pried loose with black powder and early dynamite. The little brick box protected the workers and the town itself.

In a place known for its natural beauty, the powder magazine is a reminder of the workers that build this town and the risks they took.