Birch Island, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Birch Island, Illinois
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Country | United States |
State | Illinois |
County | Calhoun |
Elevation | 433 ft (132 m) |
Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
Area code(s) | 618 |
GNIS feature ID | 422464 |
Birch Island is a small, quiet place in Calhoun County, Illinois, United States. It's known as an unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes or buildings that isn't officially a town or city with its own local government. Instead, it's part of the larger county.
Where is Birch Island?
Birch Island is located right along the famous Mississippi River. Imagine a map of Illinois; you'd find it in the western part of the state. It's situated south of another community called Hamburg. Being so close to the Mississippi River means the area might have beautiful views and be important for river activities.
What is an Unincorporated Community?
An unincorporated community like Birch Island is a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own separate town government. This means there isn't a mayor or a town council just for Birch Island. Instead, services like roads, police, and fire protection are usually handled by the larger county government, which in this case is Calhoun County. It's a common way for smaller groups of homes to exist without the full setup of a city.