Byrnes Mill, Missouri

Byrnes Mill, Missouri
Country	United States
State	Missouri
Settled	1865
Population	2,781 (2010 census)
Area (sq mi)	5.26 mi²
Current mayor	Rob Kiczenski

Byrnes Mill is a city in Jefferson County, Missouri. It had a population of 2,781 at the 2010 census.

History

Byrnes Mill takes its name from a grist mill on the Big River, a tributary of the Meramec River. The mill was purchased in 1865 by Patrick C. Byrne (1820-1891), an Irish immigrant who had already become prominent in the area as a landowner and businessman. He later added a farm and a summer resort to the site, which was variously known as "Byne's Mill" or "Byrnesville" before eventually becoming "Byrnes Mill." The mill itself no longer exists, but the land itself remained in the hands of the Byrne family until 2008.

Byrnes Mill was not incorporated as a city until 1986, making it the "youngest" such community in the county; it grew significantly during and immediately after this time, however, as a result of population shifts into the outer regions of the St. Louis metropolitan area, and is now home to a number of people who do their work closer to the city center. During the 2010s, the local government found itself the center of controversy over allegations that its policemen were imposing exorbitantly high traffic fines at the behest of elected officials, in order to provide the city with a larger revenue stream. Growing attention to this issue, in Byrnes Mill and other communities, resulted in a 2015 state law limiting the amount of income a municipality could receive from such fines. Since then, the city has taken steps to improve the behavior and reputation of its police department and other officials.

Geography

Byrnes Mill is located along Missouri State Highway 30 (locally known as Gravois Road) in northwestern Jefferson County, about ten miles west of Arnold and five miles southeast of Eureka. Its exact coordinates are 38°26’07”N 90°34’26”W.

Big River, on which the namesake mill once lay, makes up the city's western boundary, with Highway 30 forming most of its eastern border. The portion along the river is a low floodplain mostly used for agriculture, while most of the population lives on hills just to the east. The city has a total area of 5.26 square miles, and an average elevation of 458 feet.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, Byrnes Mill had a total of 2,781 inhabitants, grouped into 1,038 households, with a population density of 541.1 people per square mile. This figure represented a significant increase from the 2000 census, when Byrnes Mill had a population of 2,376. 97.38% of the inhabitants were White, 0.25% were African-American, 0.50% were Native American, 0.29% were Asian, 0.04% were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.54% were from some other race, and 1.01% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 1.40% of the population.

The median age in Byrnes Mill was 38.9 years, with 24.8% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 7.3% between 18 and 24 years old, 26.4% between 25 and 44, 32.9% between 45 and 64, and 8.6% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 49.6% male, 50.4% female.

According to the 2018 American Community Survey, Byrnes Mill had a median household income of $68,224, and a median family income of $71,103. The unemployment rate was 4.1%. The per capita income was $31,638. About 8.9% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 7.6% of people under the age of 18 and 7.6% of people 65 years old or older.

Education

The Northwest R-I School District encompasses Byrnes Mill, along with the nearby communities of Cedar Hill, High Ridge, and House Springs. It has six elementary schools for grades K-05 (Brennan Woods, Cedar Springs, High Ridge, House Springs, Maple Grove, and Murphy), two middle schools for grades 06-08 (Wood Ridge and Northwest Valley), and Northwest High School for grades 09-12. Total student enrollment is about 6,300, along with a staff of approximately 750, placing it among the 30 largest school districts in Missouri. The mascot is the Lions, and the school colors are blue and white. Notable alumni include Brian Boehringer, a pitcher for the New York Yankees during their 1996 World Series victory.

Points of Interest

The 18-acre Byrnes Mill City Park includes a few remains from the town's namesake mill, along with the Hagemeister House, a 19th-century log cabin now preserved and open to the public as an example of pioneer life in Missouri. There are also a playground and a pavilion for community events.