Lyon and Healy was run by George W. Lyon and Patrick J. Healy in Chicago and opened in October 1864. They were sent to Chicago from Boston by the Oliver Ditson company to open a sales outlet for Ditson’s music publishing business.
Far outstripping Ditson’s expectations for sales of printed music, Lyon and Healy quickly expanded into sales and manufacture of musical instruments. After a major fire in 1870, the business re-opened with full insurance – which allowed them to rebuild from the great Chicago fires of 1871.
As they rebuilt, they bought a piano firm and became the exclusive Chicago territory representative for Steinway pianos. They then began building harps in 1890, and that is the core of their business today.
By 1900 Lyon and Healy were selling and/or manufacturing musical instruments of all types including banjos and guitars.
