Byram Township, New Jersey
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Byram Township — "The Township of Lakes" — is a Township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 8,254.
Lake Mohawk is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located in parts of both Byram Township and Sparta Township.
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[edit] History
Byram Township was created by an act by the New Jersey General Assembly on February 5th, 1795, from portions of Newton Township.[1] Byram Township was named in honor of patriarch Jephthah Byram and his family, who are believed to have emigrated to the area after the American Revolutionary War. Before being named Byram, the town was originally named Lockwood. In 1829, a section of Green Township was incorporated into the township.[1] On April 14, 1845, a portion of Byram was lost when Sparta Township was created.[1] On March 24, 1898, the Borough of Brooklyn (now called Hopatcong) was created from portions of the township.[1] Stanhope was created on March 24, 1904, from portions of Byram Township.[1]
There are many historical sites located in Byram. The most common one being the Roseville Schoolhouse, built in 1853. The house was recently moved from its original location on Lackawanna Drive to Mansfield Drive.[2] The Leport House, built in 1802, is Byram's oldest remaining house.[3] The house is located right by the Byram General Store on Sparta-Stanhope Road. The Lockwood Cemetery, Byram's most recognizable cemetery, was built circa 1818. The cemetery consists of about 30 gravestones, with slight remnants of the foundation of a church.
In 1911, the Lackawanna Cut-Off rail line opened through Byram Township, with a station stop near the current sub-division neighborhood of Forest Lakes. The Cut-Off was part of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad's mainline from Hoboken, New Jersey to Buffalo, New York. The railroad was important in providing transportation for mines in Northern Jersey. It passes through Byram for a long distance. It runs mainly along Roseville, but as Roseville veers north, the tracks still head West.The line was abandoned in 1980 and the tracks were removed four years later. There is a proposal to reactivate passenger service via New Jersey Transit in the future.
[edit] Mining
Byram Township had a very large mining industry in the past. There are so many mineral mines in Byram that there is one almost walking distance from anywhere. The biggest mine, The Roseville Mine, is located on the current Roseville Road. The mine is in a quadrilateral plot of land, with the southwestern corner created by Roseville Road and Amity Road. The southeastern corner is created by an intersection between Roseville Road and the Lackawanna Cut-off. The Roseville Mine was first excavated sometime during the early 1850's. It was well worked during its life, with production in 1880 alone documented as 67,000 tons. Most of the work was done via a large open cut. This cut as it exists today, is water filled, however its massive size was impressive, its vertical walls being probably over 80 to 90 feet high. Another popular mine is the Charlotte Uranium mine. The mine extracted uranium from the rocks of southwestern Byram. The mine closed in the 1950s, but many remnants are still visible.
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 57.4 km² (22.2 mi²). 54.6 km² (21.1 mi²) of it is land and 2.9 km² (1.1 mi²) of it (5.00%) is water. It is divided into several sections. They include the neighborhoods of Forest West, East and West Brookwood, Forest Lakes, Lackawanna, Cranberry Lakes, and the Lake Mohawk area.
The township is known as the "Township of Lakes" because many lakes are spread throughout.
Lubbers Run runs through the township, intersecting Mansfield Drive. The run is monitored monthly by the Byram Intermediate School's Environmental Club.
Residents of Byram are served by adjacent post offices in Stanhope, Andover Township and Sparta Township.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 245 |
|
|
| 1940 | 373 | 52.2% | |
| 1950 | 761 | 104.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,616 | 112.4% | |
| 1970 | 4,592 | 184.2% | |
| 1980 | 7,502 | 63.4% | |
| 1990 | 8,048 | 7.3% | |
| 2000 | 8,254 | 2.6% | |
| Est. 2005 | 8,687 | [4] | 5.2% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[5] | |||
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 8,254 people, 2,833 households, and 2,317 families residing in the township. The population density was 151.3/km² (391.8/mi²). There were 3,078 housing units at an average density of 56.4/km² (146.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.77% White, 0.97% African American, 0.06% Native American, 1.41% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.94% of the population.
There were 2,833 households out of which 43.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.9% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 13.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the township the population was spread out with 28.8% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $81,532, and the median income for a family was $89,500. Males had a median income of $59,722 versus $40,396 for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,710. About 0.9% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.0% of those under age 18 and 1.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
The Township of Byram is chartered under the Faulkner Act Council-Manager plan. Byram Township has a Mayor and 4 Council Members. The Mayor and all Council Members are elected at-large in Non-Partisan elections for 4-year staggered terms. Elected Officials enter office on July 1 of the Election Year. Byram Township's elections are typically held every two years. These elections are held on the first Tuesday in May on the odd number years (e.g., May 2005, 2007, etc.).
The Township Council passes ordinances and resolutions. It maintains the Administrative Code. The Council appoints the Township Manager. It appoints the Municipal Clerk, the Tax Assessor and Members of all boards, commissions and authorities. It votes on the municipal budget after it has been prepared by the township manager[6].
The Mayor of Byram Township is Eskil "Skip" Danielson (term ends June 30, 2009). Other members of the Byram Township Committee are Louis Esposito, Jr. (2007), Donna Griff (2007), James Oscovitch (2009) and Earl Riley (2007).[7]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Byram Township is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th Legislative District.[8]
New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District, covering western portions of Essex County, all of Morris County, and sections of Passaic County, Somerset County and Sussex County, is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 24th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Robert Littell (R, Franklin) and in the Assembly by Guy R. Gregg (R, Flanders) and Alison Littell McHose (R, Sparta). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Sussex County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Sussex County's Freeholders are Director Gary R. Chiusano (term ends December 31, 2008), Deputy Director Harold J. Wirths (2007), Steven V. Oroho (2007), Glen Vetrano (2006) and Susan M. Zellman (2006).
[edit] Education
The Byram Township School District contains two public schools for grades K - 8, run by the Byram Township Board of Education. The Byram Lakes Elementary School houses grades K - 4 (613 students). The Byram Township Intermediate School serves grades 5 - 8 (560 students). The Consolidated School used to serve K-2, while BIS served 3-8, but the new Byram Lakes School was built to accommodate the rapidly increasing student count, and since then the Consolidated School has been used as a private special needs school named Celebrate the Children.
For grades 9 -12, the township shares Lenape Valley Regional High School, which serves Netcong in Morris County and the Sussex County communities of Stanhope and Byram Township. In the past, students from Byram attended Sparta High School, but the Board of Education in Sparta eventually ended sending/receiving relationships with other districts to attend the school.
[edit] Recreation
[edit] Trails and Hiking
Byram Township is known as the "Gateway to New Jersey Trails"!
[edit] Sussex Branch Trail
Sussex Branch Trail extends 21.2 miles from Netcong to Branchville, following the route of the old Sussex Branch Railroad. This line was in service under various ownerships from 1848 - 1966. Today trail users can explore the route once used by steam locomotives and long freight trains.
[edit] Parks
[edit] C.O. Johnson Park
C.O. Johnson Park is located on Roseville Road in Byram Township. This park includes a football field and a baseball field. It also has soccer fields and tennis and basketball courts. It also features a brand new playground and walking paths. At the park, refreshments are sold at the CO Johnson Fieldhouse.
[edit] Riverside Park
Riverside Park is located at the Intersection of River Road and Waterloo Road in Byram Township. Opening ceremonies were held late summer of 2001.
Riverside Park is Byram's newest park. The park has the Musconetcong River running right behind it and features beautiful walking paths, fishing and canoing. The park features a brand new, state of the art playground, picnic tables, a gazebo and basketball courts.
[edit] Tomahawk Park
Tomahawk Park is a small park located on Tomahawk Trail in Byram Township. It is located right across from Tomahawk Lake.
[edit] Allamuchy Mountain State Park
Parts of Allamuchy Mountain State Park are located in the township. Access to the State Park can be gained via State Trails.
[edit] Neil Gylling Memorial Park
This park has two softball fields. A soccer field is also set up between the softball fields during the fall season. There are also two tennis courts. This is the traditional location for Byram Day which is celebrated the 2nd Saturday in September of every year.
[edit] Brookside Park
This is a small park that contains a basketball court in West Brookwood.
[edit] Transportation
The township is bisected by U.S. Route 206. A small portion of Interstate 80 passes through the southern tip of Byram Township.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 229.
- ^ Roseville Schoolhouse Museum, accessed February 12, 2007
- ^ Album Name: Leport House dedication & Kiddie Karaoke, New Jersey Herald, May 13, 2006
- ^ Census data for Byram township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Byram Township Government, accessed July 6, 2006
- ^ Byram Township Council, accessed April 2, 2007
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 55, accessed August 30, 2006
[edit] External links
- Byram Township website
- Sussex County webpage for Byram Township
- Byram Township School District
- Byram Township School District's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Byram Township School District
- Lenape Valley Regional High School
