Birchwood, Tennessee Explained

Official Name:Birchwood, Tennessee
Settlement Type:Unincorporated community
Pushpin Map:Tennessee#USA
Pushpin Label:Birchwood
Pushpin Label Position:left
Coordinates:35.3672°N -84.9925°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Tennessee
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Hamilton, Meigs
Unit Pref:Imperial
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Elevation Ft:758
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:37308
Area Code:423
Blank Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank Info:1305251

Birchwood is an unincorporated community in Hamilton and Meigs counties in Tennessee, United States.[1] It is a rural area located along Tennessee State Route 60 and Tennessee State Route 312 (Birchwood Pike) northwest of Chattanooga. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN - GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

According to the 2022 American Community Survey the 37308 Zip Code Tabulation Area had a total population of 2,663.[2]

Culture and tourism

Birchwood is known as the location of the Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival, generally held annually in January at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge.

History

The area has a long history of Native American settlement. The Cherokee leader John Jolly operated a trading post on Hiwassee Island, on the north side of what is now Birchwood. Sam Houston lived there for about three years from 1809.

The Roark family was among the earliest settlers of the Cherokee lands, with the homestead of Joseph Roark dating to about 1833.[3] The Roark-Conner Association has continued to document the genealogy and history of Birchwood.[4]

The area was a stopping point along the Trail of Tears, memorialized by the Cherokee Removal Memorial Park and nearby Blythe Ferry.

Much of Birchwood, along with nearby communities in the eastern part of Hamilton County, was part of James County, Tennessee from its creation in January 1871 until its dissolution in December 1919.[5]

Notes and References

  1. http://tennessee.hometownlocator.com/tn/hamilton/birchwood.cfm Birchwood (in Hamilton County, TN) Populated Place Profile
  2. https://data.census.gov/table/ACSDP5Y2022.DP05?q=ZCTA5%2037308 US Census Bureau
  3. Web site: Joseph Roark Homestead Historical Marker . The Historical Marker Database . 24 June 2024 . hmdb.
  4. Web site: Birchwood History. Roark-Conner Association . 24 June 2024 . rca.
  5. News: Carey . Bill . The Lost County of Tennessee . 24 June 2024 . The Tennessee Magazine . lost_county.