Tucked along the banks of the Erie Canal in Wayne County, Lyons earned a historic title: the “Peppermint City.” From the mid-1800s onward, peppermint production wasn’t just a local pastime—it was a global industry.
🌱 A Cash Crop with Global Reach
Peppermint thrived in Wayne County’s fertile soil, becoming the cash crop of choice for many farmers by the 1840s Dreamstime+10Town of Lyons+10William G. Pomeroy Foundation+10Exploring Upstate. Wild peppermint, once simply gathered, was distilled into essential oil by pioneers like Hiram Gilbert Hotchkiss, whose entrepreneurial spirit marked the beginning of something extraordinary Wikipedia+7William G. Pomeroy Foundation+7Minnesota State+7.
🛶 From Canal to Continent
Thanks to the Erie Canal, completed through Lyons in 1821, peppermint oil reached world markets with ease. Hotchkiss’s 1839 oil sample sent to Hamburg earned him international recognition: purest in the world. This acclaim kickstarted a booming export business Wikipedia+10William G. Pomeroy Foundation+10I Love NY+10.
By the late 1800s, with 90% of local farmers involved in the supply chain, Lyons became the world’s leading peppermint oil distributor, winning gold medals from Philadelphia to London Exploring Upstate+1Exploring Upstate+1.
🏭 The H. G. Hotchkiss Essential Oil Plant
Built in 1884 on the foundations of an earlier distillation site, the H.G. Hotchkiss plant anchored Lyons’s economy for nearly 150 years. The factory, now preserved as the Peppermint Museum, showcases original distilling equipment, antique bottles, and bottled oil labeled “International Prize Medal” Pinterest+10Wikipedia+10Wayne County+10. The building earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 Wikipedia.
💼 Family Fervor & Feuds
The enterprise was steered by Hiram and his brother Leman. While they created an internationally renowned brand, their partnership wasn’t always peaceful: business disagreements and a formal split agreement in 1855 hint at deeper family tensions I Love NY+2Minnesota State+2Minnesota State+2. Still, together they built a pioneer commercial empire with a successful global reputation.
🎉 Peppermint Today
Though the company left Lyons in 1990, the town continues to celebrate its heritage. Every July, Peppermint Days brings the community together with canal-side tours, museum exhibits, and nostalgic nods to its minty past Minnesota StateWikipedia+3Town of Lyons+3Exploring Upstate+3.
🏛️ Visit the Peppermint Museum
Located at 95 Water Street, it’s open Fridays and Saturdays (10 AM–3 PM). Inside, you’ll see the distillation area, bottle displays (some from the Great Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia!), and vintage packaging—plus the signature exhibit of the Hotchkiss brand William G. Pomeroy Foundation+5Wayne County+5Exploring Upstate+5.
Why Lyons Matters to Mint Lovers & Heritage Travelers
- Agricultural ingenuity: Lyons transformed a simple herb into a world-class essential oil.
- Industrial heritage: The Erie Canal’s role in powering small-town industry.
- Community legacy: How a family business seeded a regional identity—and continues to shape annual traditions.
Let’s bring Lyons’s peppermint legacy into the design world. Maybe at 11 LakesDesign, we blend this story into branding or visual motifs—think minty color accents, vintage bottle-inspired labels, canal-rail textures, or historical reference icons. There’s a rich narrative here waiting to be woven into design and storytelling.