History
Accounts of Byram Township's history vary. However, it is said that the ancestors of the Lenape Indians were the first inhabitants of this area, arriving in post-glacial times, perhaps as long as 11,500 years ago. Lenape is generally used to refer to Indian Groups who lived in what is now New Jersey and is most often translated as "the ordinary people".
Sussex County was first explored by the Dutch in the 17th Century; but by 1753, when the county was officially formed, there were only about 600 inhabitants.
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.
Between 1798 and 1957, Byram's borders changed six times, including the secession of Hopatcong in 1898 and Stanhope in 1904.
Currently, Byram is known as "The Township of Lakes", having more than two dozen lakes and ponds -- most of the large ones heavily settled.
Byram covers more than 22.48 Miles and our current population is estimated around 9,000.
Waterloo Village in Byram depicts the lifestyle of our early settlers and is open to the public during the summer months. Go take a look to "feel" our history!