Lyons Officially Opens Welcome Center

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The community was invited to get the first look at the new Lyons Welcome Center and Altamaha Heritage Museum on Tuesday, August 13, as the Lyons Main Street Program officially opened the facility.

This new Welcome Center, located at 124 NW Broad St., will not only house the Lyons Main Street Association, but also offers local products and merchandise for purchase, and gives visitors a peak into the area’s history through a museum area. The building – which has been renovated over the last few years – is planned to serve as the city’s concierge to help visitors learn more about local restaurants, shops, events, and more.

During the Grand Opening, several local leaders spoke on the new facility, emphasizing their excitement for this opportunity to focus on downtown tourism.

“I appreciate this town, our leadership, the [Lyons Main Street Association] board, and especially, volunteers because we do run on volunteers. Most everything in here was donated from our community – we have a very giving community. Thank you to everyone,” Lyons Main Street Association Executive Director Daphne Walker emphasized.

“We are proud of this town. The museum part was an idea of my father in law’s, and he has helped to get this stuff together. It is these ideas that you get from citizens and have someone take it over that is great. He would be very proud of this. We have more that we are doing,” Mayor Willis NeSmith Jr. told the attendees. He went on to share that an upstairs area of the building was still being renovated, and was slated to be used as a library area.

City Manager Jason hall also spoke on the growth that was coming to the area, explaining that the City Council and Lyons Main Street Association Board was striving to extend the hours in which the Downtown area was busy, stating they wanted to “keep the street lights on longer” by having more shops and restaurants available for the public to peruse during the evenings. “We are a small town and we have crammed a lot into this building. Our elected officials have a vision for downtown and man – it is grandeur,” he assured.

Lyons Main Street Association Board Member Clint Williams spoke on the community effort to create this new facility, saying, “All of the funds that come into our pool from these events – like Tales from the Altamaha, the Southeast Georgia Soap Box Derby, the Real Squeal, and more – that’s what redid this building. Of course, the city is always there to help if needed – when we ask, they are always there, and that’s what makes that partnership so great. It’s all built on volunteerism. Everything you see here and everything that happens in this town is all built on volunteerism.”

The new facility is open daily on Monday through Friday to the public, who are encouraged to come see the new building and museum exhibits. For more information, call (912) 526-6445.

OFFICIALLY OPEN – Lyons Main Street Association Director Daphne Walker thanks the public for their help in creating the new Lyons Welcome Center at the facility’s official opening.Photo by Evan Riekhof