Byrnes Mill, Missouri

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.