Byron, Minnesota
Encyclopedia
Byron is a city in Olmsted County
, Minnesota
, United States
, approximately 5 miles west of Rochester
on U.S. Route 14
. It is surrounded by Kalmar Township
. The population was 4,914 at the 2010 census.
Local industries are in the form of farm
services and printing
. A grain elevator
is situated next to the rail line that runs through town, which is owned by the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad
. Schmidt Printing is another major company in town and is part of Taylor Corporation, founded by Glen Taylor
. It is a bedroom community for nearby Rochester
.
, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 3,500 people, 1,179 households, and 979 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,457.6 people per square mile (951.7/km²). There were 1,206 housing units at an average density of 846.8 per square mile (327.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.77% White, 0.23% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races
, and 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% of the population.
There were 1,179 households out of which 53.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples
living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.9% were non-families. 13.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 5.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $58,879, and the median income for a family was $63,164. Males had a median income of $38,387 versus $29,939 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $20,297. About 2.3% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
The DM&E rail line was originally built by the Winona and St. Peter Railroad, which reached west through town to neighboring Kasson
in 1865. The railroad is a major reason why Byron exists at all. The station was located west of what is now Byron Avenue, and was rebuilt in 1883. The Chicago and North Western Railway
gained control of the Winona and St. Peter a few years after the line reached Byron. The C&NW operated the line until the 1980s, when it was spun off to create the DM&E.
).
Byron operated with just two schools for many years, a kindergarten through 6th grade elementary school on 1st Avenue NW near the town center and a combined 7th through 12th grade junior-senior high school along 4th Street NW on the west end. The old high school was built in 1969 and has now become the middle school. That system ended in the 1990s when a new preschool through 4th grade elementary was built on the east side of town on 10th Avenue NE. The 1st Street school housed 5th through 7th graders, and 8th through 12th were at the 4th Street high school.
The 1st Avenue school is now a community center. A school had been next to it in the early 20th century, and then the current structure was added on in the 1950s, and was again expanded in the 1990s. The old portion was torn down around the year 2000.
The once-weekly Byron Review newspaper covers city events. It is owned by Community News Corporation, which also operates papers in Hayfield
and Dodge Center
.
, is 3.5 miles north of town. The zoo has dozens of animals from thirty different native species, including a number of bird
s, a mountain lion, wolves, otters, and some bison
.
Within Byron, there are several city parks as well as a pool which operates in the summer.
is a private golf club and community, located on the north side of the city. Links of Byron http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/course.asp?course=1740956 is on the south side of Byron, and is a 9-hole, executive length public golf course.
Olmsted County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 124,277 people, 47,807 households, and 32,317 families residing in the county. The population density was 190 people per square mile . There were 49,422 housing units at an average density of 76 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, approximately 5 miles west of Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
on U.S. Route 14
U.S. Route 14
U.S. Route 14 , an east–west route, is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It currently has a length of 1,398 miles , but it had a peak length of 1,429 miles . For much of its length, it runs roughly parallel to Interstate 90.As of 2004, the highway's eastern terminus is in...
. It is surrounded by Kalmar Township
Kalmar Township, Minnesota
Kalmar Township is a township in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,196 at the 2000 census. It surrounds the city of Byron.-Geography:...
. The population was 4,914 at the 2010 census.
Local industries are in the form of farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
services and printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
. A grain elevator
Grain elevator
A grain elevator is a tower containing a bucket elevator, which scoops up, elevates, and then uses gravity to deposit grain in a silo or other storage facility...
is situated next to the rail line that runs through town, which is owned by the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad
Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad
The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad is a Class II railroad subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway operating across South Dakota and southern Minnesota in the northern plains of the United States...
. Schmidt Printing is another major company in town and is part of Taylor Corporation, founded by Glen Taylor
Glen Taylor
Glen A. Taylor is an American businessman who is the majority owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team, owner of the Minnesota Lynx WNBA basketball team, and a former member of the Minnesota Senate.-Biography:...
. It is a bedroom community for nearby Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,500 people, 1,179 households, and 979 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,457.6 people per square mile (951.7/km²). There were 1,206 housing units at an average density of 846.8 per square mile (327.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.77% White, 0.23% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% of the population.
There were 1,179 households out of which 53.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.9% were non-families. 13.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 5.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $58,879, and the median income for a family was $63,164. Males had a median income of $38,387 versus $29,939 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $20,297. About 2.3% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.5% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
A commuter bus service to Rochester is operated by Rochester City Lines and has three trips daily through Byron each day. Two of those three go directly to a park-and-ride lot on the eastern edge of town, while the third zig-zags through the city to pick up customers.The DM&E rail line was originally built by the Winona and St. Peter Railroad, which reached west through town to neighboring Kasson
Kasson, Minnesota
Kasson is a city in Dodge County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 5,931 at the 2010 census. The city is located 13 miles west of Rochester, Minnesota along U.S. Route 14 and is one of the endpoints of Minnesota State Highway 57. The Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad's main...
in 1865. The railroad is a major reason why Byron exists at all. The station was located west of what is now Byron Avenue, and was rebuilt in 1883. The Chicago and North Western Railway
Chicago and North Western Railway
The Chicago and North Western Transportation Company was a Class I railroad in the Midwest United States. It was also known as the North Western. The railroad operated more than of track as of the turn of the 20th century, and over of track in seven states before retrenchment in the late 1970s...
gained control of the Winona and St. Peter a few years after the line reached Byron. The C&NW operated the line until the 1980s, when it was spun off to create the DM&E.
Education
Public schools are managed by Byron Public schools. There are three schools, Byron High School, Byron Middle School, and Byron Elementary School. The grades for the high school are now 9th through 12th grade. The grades for the middle school are now 5th through 8th grade and the grades for the elementary school are Pre-School through 4th grade. A new high school has recently been built along County Highway 5 on the northern end of the city. It opened for the 2006-2007 school year. The Byron Bears are an HVL (Hiawatha Valley League) school and in the MSHSL (Minnesota State High School LeagueMinnesota State High School League
The Minnesota State High School League is a voluntary, non-profit association for the support and governance of interscholastic activities at high schools in Minnesota, United States. The association supports interscholastic athletics and fine arts programs for member schools...
).
Byron operated with just two schools for many years, a kindergarten through 6th grade elementary school on 1st Avenue NW near the town center and a combined 7th through 12th grade junior-senior high school along 4th Street NW on the west end. The old high school was built in 1969 and has now become the middle school. That system ended in the 1990s when a new preschool through 4th grade elementary was built on the east side of town on 10th Avenue NE. The 1st Street school housed 5th through 7th graders, and 8th through 12th were at the 4th Street high school.
The 1st Avenue school is now a community center. A school had been next to it in the early 20th century, and then the current structure was added on in the 1950s, and was again expanded in the 1990s. The old portion was torn down around the year 2000.
Byron athletics
In 1990, Byron football made its only appearance at the Metrodome where it lost to BOLD in the state semifinals. The football team made a state tournament appearance in 2003 beating Stewartville, Kasson-Mantorville, and Caledonia in section playoffs, but lost to the eventual Class 3A State Champions Glencoe-Silver Lake in the quarterfinals, 39-14. The volleyball team made their first ever state appearance in 2009 losing to Delano in the first round. They went on to place sixth in state. The boys cross-country team made it to state in 2007 and 2008. The boy's track and field team partipated in the State True Team in 2011. Byron is consistently strong in boy's basketball, boy's cross-country, and boy's and girl's track.Community and government
Byron has a mayor and a four-member city council. There are also four other government boards including an economic development authority and a park board. Byron City Hall is located near the elementary school on 10th Avenue. It is also a fairly new structure. The old city hall is in the center of town at Byron Avenue and 4th Street and was built in 1938. The city's first water tower was built next to that location a few years earlier in 1935, though it was torn down around 2004.The once-weekly Byron Review newspaper covers city events. It is owned by Community News Corporation, which also operates papers in Hayfield
Hayfield, Minnesota
Hayfield is a city in Dodge County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,340 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Transportation:...
and Dodge Center
Dodge Center, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,226 people, 824 households, and 588 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,173.8 people per square mile . There were 859 housing units at an average density of 452.9 per square mile...
.
Parks
One of the major parks in the county, Oxbow Park and Zollman ZooOxbow Park and Zollman Zoo
Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo are a campground and zoo located in Olmsted County, Minnesota north of the city of Byron, and about 4.5 miles west of Rochester. It houses over 30 species of animals, most of which have injuries that would prevent them from surviving in the wild. All of the animals are...
, is 3.5 miles north of town. The zoo has dozens of animals from thirty different native species, including a number of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, a mountain lion, wolves, otters, and some bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
.
Within Byron, there are several city parks as well as a pool which operates in the summer.
Golf
Byron is home to two golf courses. Somerby Golf Club and CommunitySomerby Golf Club and Community
Somerby Golf Club is a private golf club and community on the north side of Byron, Minnesota. The course was designed by architect and golf pro John Fought, and by golf pro Tom Lehman....
is a private golf club and community, located on the north side of the city. Links of Byron http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/course.asp?course=1740956 is on the south side of Byron, and is a 9-hole, executive length public golf course.