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The Mill |
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This drawing by Kathy Koebel
of the second Byrne's mill
building was on the cover of
the Fall, 1988 edition of
"Reflections." (An earlier
structure was replaced by
this one some time before
1888.)
The information below was
was taken from the article
in that edition authored by
Della Lang .
Unfortunately the
Mill itself is gone but one
can still see the mill site
on the Big River in the
Byrnes Mill City Park. |
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THE BYRNES OF BYRNE'S MILL
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| The
Pioneer |
The Byrnes Mill Road |
Patrick C. Byrne (1820-1891), and his father, James,
from County Meath, Ireland, landed in America in 1849.
After spending a year in Wilmington, Delaware, the
pioneers made the decision to move west.
The two men lived in St. Louis for a while, where
Patrick met and married Miss Catherine Campbell.
Catherine died during their first year of marriage.
Several years later,
Patrick married Rosa (1838-1914), with whom he had
eleven children.
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The Byrnes Mill Road, which now passes by the entrance
to lake Montowese, began as little more than a path
leading from the mill to the old Gravois Road. It may
have been a well-beaten Indian trail, but with the heavy
traffic to and from the mill, the trail soon became a
road.
Byrne is given credit for receiving the first bonds ever issued for road
building in Jefferson County. An early history book
states that he built the first mile of macadamized road
ever built in the county, but it is not clear if the
road in question was Gravois or Byrnes Mill Road. |
| Land
Purchase |
Legacy |
James purchased some farmland near House Springs,
Patrick was then employed by the government as a land
buyer.
In partnership with his cousin, Patrick Dunegan, Byrne
opened a store on Big River in 1859. Six years later, he
purchased a grist mill at another location on the river.
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Patrick
Byrne served as district assessor, as a Justice of the
Peace, and was elected Associate Judge of the County
Court from the first district 1882-1884.
He
died seven years later, leaving an estate valued at more
than $100,00.
(That was a whopping sum in those days.)
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| Summer
Resort |
Byrnes Home Place |
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The Byrne family also operated a large farm near the
mill property, and a summer resort area which began as a
fishing resort as early as 1900. In later years, a
picnic area, swimming area and refreshment stand were
added.
The Byrnes were very successful, but hard-working
people. However they did occasionally take time out to
enjoy some of the simpler things in life. |
The Byrne home, located across from the old mill
property, was the third home built on the same site. The
first two houses were destroyed by fire.
Much of the original Byrne property, including the site
of the old mill, was owned until 2008 by the descendants
of Patrick Byrne, the pioneer for whom the new city of
Byrnes Mill is named. |
| Pet
Crow |
Byrnes Mill Park |
James Byrne once owned a pet crow, with a split tongue.
When the farm workers were doing the planting, the crow
would swoop down on them and steal their seed.
The trained crow would then fly away and perch on a
nearby fence, laughing, "Ha! Ha!, Ha! Ha!"
To the farm workers this bird was nothing but a pest,
but the resort guests loved the antics of the strange
little talking crow. |
The site of the mill and much of the land surrounding it
is now owned by the City of Byrnes Mill as Byrnes Mill
City Park .
photo by Grant MacLaren |
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Map to Byrnes Mill Park and Mill Site |
View Larger Map
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