BYRAM, Miss. (WJTV) – Byram’s foundations date back all the way to the late 1800s.

Byram was found in 1870 but gave up its city status during the Great Depression. The city was re-incorporated in 2009 after a lengthy battle with the City of Jackson over annexation and incorporation.

“We wanted to be our own city. We want to make our own future. And that’s what we got to do. And that’s what we’re going to do. That’s what we’re going to do about all the issues we have with Jackson we’re going to continue to work with. I think we should be sisters, that we should be the baby sister of Jackson, Mississippi. And I’ll always love Jackson,” said Byram Mayor Richard White.

The city now has more than 13,000 residents. With law enforcement and award-winning fire departments, city leaders said it’s a safe place to live.

Byram has plenty of local shops, service providers, restaurants and nationwide businesses.

One of the most popular events in the city is the Swinging Bridge Festival. There are carnival rides, vendors, a car show, live music, fireworks and a cornhole tournament.

White talked to us about the importance of the Swinging Bridge.

“The Swinging Bridge was a private bridge. It was built by farmers to get their goods across Pearl River,” he explained. “But the swing and bridge is a special deal because we had an opportunity just a two, maybe three years ago for the county to give it to us. They owned it. We didn’t own it when we first got to be a city. So now we own the bridge and we’re trying to spruce it up and we want to make it sort of like an attraction for our city. It’s also our logo, as you well know.”

People used to be able to drive cars across the bridge, but it’s used for foot traffic these days.

“The Swinging Bridge was built in 1905 and connects Hinds County with Rankin County. In 1979, it was actually added to the National Historic Registry,” said Angela Richburg, City Clerk for Byram.

The Swinging Bridge Festival attracts thousands of people to Byram every year. The 2024 festival will be held May 3-4 at the Byram Dragway, formerly known as the Jackson Dragway.

The Byram Dragway is a 500-foot drag strip that was built in 2002. Since then, it’s been a place for those who have a need for speed to go.

“When you in the car it seems like all of everything going on around you just go all the way from second as you go down the track. And, you know, I like the speed. I’ve been doing it all my life ever since I was like, 17 years old. I’m 43 now, so I’ve been doing a long time. It runs in the family,” said Melvin Smith, a driver.

The track is open to anyone. It attracts races from Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. The track opens up around Mardi Gras every year and stays open until around Thanksgiving.

The Byram Dragway is open from 7:00 p.m. to midnight every Tuesday, weather permitting.

We asked around town for places to eat in Bryam, and everyone said we had to check out Monte’s Steak & Seafood.

Monte Agho is a native of Nigeria. He moved to the United States more than 30 years ago. He’s been living his dream of running a successful and highly praised restaurant in Mississippi.

Monte’s Steak & Seafood opened in Byram in 2013, but the restaurant was established in 1991. It offers a blend of French and Cajun cuisine. The restaurant was previously located in The Quarter in Jackson.

Monte said his food can’t be beat.

“We do French Cajun. That’s our specialty. we do it fresh. We do it with sauces. People love our blackened seasoning. We use it for our cooking. We have an item on our menu. We call it the Voodoo Steak,” he stated.

Another popular dish is the Cajun stuffed redfish, which features a filet of redfish stuffed with crawfish and crabmeat dressing and topped with two sauces.

Those who’ve known Monte said there’s a reason customers keep returning to his restaurant.

“We appreciate Monte. He’s been good for us. He’s been here almost 12 years, I think, and just a great guy. His whole family is involved in this. His wife is involved in the sale, and his son is learning to cook, and he’s a college trained entrepreneur, as well,” said Claude Raworth, a customer.

Monte said he loves Mississippi, and he loves Byram.

“We strive to be in business and give our customers the quality of food with the less price. We are dedicated to our customers. And over those years, we have gotten generations of families following us. We are very grateful for the customer, for the trust they have in us to be able to be successful in this business. but we have achieved that in Mississippi, and we have a lot of customers that trusted us and that gave us that opportunity. I love Mississippi,” he said.

Monte’s Steak & Seafood opened a new location on Old Fanning Road in Rankin County.

The Byram Police Department takes an interest in helping the youth stay away from crime with a program they started last year.

“The juvenile crime rate dropped significantly last year, and that was the goal, and it was a success,” said Detective Billy Cameron with the Byram Police Department.

Byram police employees take time to volunteer with the Byram Blue Dawgs program. The program mentors children in 6th through 8th grade during the summer. The idea came from Detective Judson Magloire.

“A lot of times we see crime uptick in the youth in the city or the surrounding metro area. So, we decided to try to combat that. And last year, for the first time, since we’ve been incorporated a city, we did not address a single juvenile within the city limits of Byram,” he said.

The program focuses on sports, enrichment and education.

“We’re going to do a lot of the things we did last year. But of course, we’re trying to expand or maybe do more field trips, go to different colleges. I know Mississippi College is on the radar,” said Cameron.

Last year, the program had about 50 children sing up. They anticipate about the same number this summer. This year, the Byram Blue Dawgs program will be held at Hillcrest Christian School.

The police department is accepting donations for the program, and more volunteers are needed. To sign your child up for the event, contact the Byram Police Department’s Administrative Offices at 601-372-7747.