Lyman Byxbe was born near Pittsfield, Illinois on February 28, 1886. Though he had no formal school training, he was artistically inclined from a young age, and as an adult learned the art of etching from Omaha architect Mark Levings. He worked primarily in drypoint, aquatint, and etching, but also executed works in mezzotint, conté crayon, oil, pencil, and watercolor. 

Byxbe and his wife began traveling in 1922 to Estes Park, Colorado, as summer visitors.  By 1930, he had set up a studio and soon had a booming business, which included etchings of resident's cabins for Christmas cards.  By the mid-thirties he was garnering national attention.  He was elected to the Chicago Society of Etchers, and had a one man show of sixty-some items at the Smithsonian in 1937-38.  Byxbe moved to Estes Park for good shortly thereafter.  He had a shop on Elkhorn Avenue in downtown Estes Park for many years.