Arthur and Joe Lyon Papers (MS-01149)

Arthur and Joe Lyon, Jr. were born in Pearl, Idaho to Joseph McClurg (J. M.) and Inga Lyon in 1904 and 1909. The brothers were two of five children born in the family. The Lyon family moved to Humboldt County in northern Nevada, first to the mining town of National in 1910 and eventually settling in the town of McDermitt in 1918 where J. M. Lyon purchased and operated a local garage, Lyon Super Service Station and also a truck line. Both brothers became involved with the family business with Joe, Jr. becoming an automotive engineer and Arthur became involved in the financial side of the business. In 1930, the brothers embarked on the first transnational automobile trip starting in New York City, New York and completing their trip in Managua, Nicaragua. In 1985, Arthur wrote about their trip in a memoir titled Central America Through a Windshield by request of E. W. James from the Bureau of Public Roads. Arthur's memoir was edited by his grandnephew, Larry Lyon, and published as a book in 2020 entitled 1930: From Manhattan to Managua, North America's First Transnational Automobile Trip.

Joe Lyon, Jr. passed in 1990 in Salt Lake City, Utah and Athur Lyon passed in 1993 in Boise, Idaho.

Sources:

"1930: Manhattan to Managua, North America's First Transnational Automobile Trip," Larry Lyon Publishing, LLC. 2020. https://manhattantomanagua.com/

"Death: Joe Lyon," Deseret News. December 24, 1990. https://www.deseret.com/1990/12/25/18897849/death-joe-lyon

"My Place," George F. Thompson Publishing. Accessed May 24, 2023. http://www.gftbooks.com/myplace/books_Lyon-myplace.html