Byram Township, New Jersey

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Byram, New Jersey
Map of Byram Township in Sussex County.
Map of Byram Township in Sussex County.
Coordinates: 40°57′41″N 74°43′21″W / 40.96139, -74.7225
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Sussex
Area
 - Total 22.2 sq mi (57.4 km²)
 - Land 21.1 sq mi (54.6 km²)
 - Water 1.1 sq mi (2.9 km²)
Elevation 1,010 ft (308 m)
Population (2000)
 - Total 8,254
 - Density 391.8/sq mi (151.3/km²)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
FIPS code 34-09160[1]
GNIS feature ID 0882263[2]

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.

Contents

[edit] History

Byram Township was created by an act by the New Jersey General Assembly on February 5, 1798, from portions of the now-defunct Newton Township, and was incorporated on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships.[3][4] 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.[3] Before being named Byram, the community had been called Lockwood. In 1829, a section of Green Township was incorporated into the township.[4] Portions of the township have been taken to form Sparta Township (April 14, 1845), Brooklyn borough (March 24, 1898, now called Hopatcong) and Stanhope borough (March 24, 1904).[4]

There are many historical sites located in Byram. The Roseville Schoolhouse, built in 1853, was recently moved from its original location on Lackawanna Drive to Mansfield Drive.[5] The Leport House, built in 1802, is Byram's oldest remaining house.[6] 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 22.2 square miles (57.4 km²), of which, 21.1 square miles (54.6 km²) of it is land and 1.1 square miles (2.9 km²) 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 [7] 5.2%
Population 1930 - 1990.[8]

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 8,254 people, 2,833 households, and 2,317 families residing in the township. The population density was 391.8 people per square mile (151.3/km²). There were 3,078 housing units at an average density of 146.1/sq mi (56.4/km²). 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.[9]

The Mayor of Byram Township is Eskil "Skip" Danielson (term ends June 30, 2009). Other members of the Byram Township Committee are James Oscovitch (2009), Scott Olson (2011), Daniel Rafferty (2011) and Brian Thompson (2011).[10]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Byram Township is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th Legislative District.[11]

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).

For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 24th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Steve Oroho (R, Franklin) and in the Assembly by Gary R. Chiusano (R, Augusta) and Alison Littell McHose (R, Franklin).[12] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[13]

Sussex County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. As of 2008, members of the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders are Freeholder Director Harold J. Wirths (R, term ends December 31, 2010; Wantage Township), Deputy Director Glen Vetrano (R, 2009; Hampton Township), Phillip R. Crabb (R, 2008; Franklin), Jeffrey M. Parrott (R, 2010; Wantage Township) and Susan M. Zellman (R, 2009; Stanhope).[14]

[edit] Education

The Byram Township School District contains two public schools for grades K - 8, run by the Byram Township Board of Education. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[15]) are Byram Lakes Elementary School serving grades K - 4 (626 students) and Byram Township Intermediate School serving grades 5 - 8 (525 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 public school students in 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.[16] 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.

There are a few private schools close by. Reverend Brown in Sparta, New Jersey serves grades K-8 does have students from Byram. Hilltop Country Day School, which also serves K-8, also has students from Byram. For high school, there are a few choices, but many involve quite of a commute. There is one school, though, that can be said to be close. This school is Pope John XXIII Regional High 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] Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Byram Township include:

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  2. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  3. ^ a b Byram Township History, Byram Township. Accessed June 13, 2007. "Byram Township was established on February 5, 1798, having been separated from the vast area that was then Newton. The name honored the Byram Family, surveyors who had settled in the area before the Revolution. In 1798, the head of the family was Jephthah Byram, who is buried in the Sparta Cemetary[sic] ."
  4. ^ a b c "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 229. A date of April 9, 1798 is shown as the date the township was formed, which seems to be clearly incorrect, as the township was incorporated some six weeks earlier.
  5. ^ Roseville Schoolhouse Museum, accessed February 12, 2007.
  6. ^ Album Name: Leport House dedication & Kiddie Karaoke, New Jersey Herald, May 13, 2006.
  7. ^ Census data for Byram township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  8. ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  9. ^ Byram Township Government, Byram Township. Accessed July 6, 2006.
  10. ^ Byram Township Council, accessed July 22, 2007.
  11. ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 55. Accessed August 30, 2006.
  12. ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
  13. ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
  14. ^ Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Sussex County, New Jersey. Accessed February 15, 2008.
  15. ^ Byram Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 27, 2008
  16. ^ Lenape Valley Regional High School 2007 Report Card narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 27, 2008. "Blending a traditional program with a vision for the future, Lenape Valley Regional High School located in the town of Stanhope is a high school of significant prominence in our geographic region. Serving the communities of Byram Township, Netcong Boro, and Stanhope Borough, and bridging Morris and Sussex counties..."
  17. ^ Falkenstein, Michelle. "A Festival For the Band Next Door", The New York Times, April 24, 2005. Accessed October 23, 2007. "Nevertheless, Mr. Freeman, 24, who is from Byram, says he is excited to do a show next weekend."

[edit] External links

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Municipalities and communities of
Sussex County, New Jersey
County seat: Newton
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