Birchleaf, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Birchleaf, Virginia
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Post Office in Birchleaf
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 Birchleaf, Virginia
Location in Virginia
Birchleaf, Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Dickenson |
| Elevation | 1,299 ft (396 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1495271 |
Birchleaf is a small, quiet community located in Dickenson County, Virginia, in the United States. It is an "unincorporated community." This means it's a group of homes and businesses that are part of the larger county, rather than having its own separate town government. In 2000, about 761 people lived there. The name "Birchleaf" likely comes from the many birch trees that grow in the area.
Birchleaf's Location and Landscape
Birchleaf is found about 5 miles southeast of a town called Haysi, Virginia. A river called the Russell Fork runs right through the middle of the community. This river is part of the Levisa River system.
Because the river flows through Birchleaf, much of the community is built on a flat area called a floodplain. This means the area can sometimes experience floods when the river rises.
The Great Flood of 1977
One of the most significant floods happened in April 1977. Local residents still remember it as the "Flood of '77." This event caused a lot of damage, costing over $20 million in Birchleaf and other small communities along the Russell Fork River.
Education in Birchleaf
Students living in Birchleaf attend local schools. Younger students go to Sandlick Elementary School. Older students attend Ridgeview High School. For those interested in higher education, Southwest Virginia Community College provides a bus service to nearby Richlands, Virginia.
