Burchfield, West Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Burchfield
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Country | United States |
State | West Virginia |
County | Wetzel |
Elevation | 856 ft (261 m) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
GNIS ID | 1536732 |
Burchfield is a small place located in Wetzel County, West Virginia, in the United States. It is known as an "unincorporated community." This means it's a group of homes and businesses that doesn't have its own official local government like a city or town does. Instead, it's usually managed by the county government.
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What is an Unincorporated Community?
An unincorporated community is a place where people live and work, but it's not officially a city or town. It doesn't have its own mayor or city council. Instead, the larger county government handles things like roads, police, and fire services for these areas.
How Unincorporated Areas Work
Imagine a neighborhood that's part of a bigger county. That's often what an unincorporated community is like. The people living there pay taxes to the county, and the county uses those taxes to provide services. This is different from a city, which has its own local government and often its own taxes for city-specific services.
Why Some Places Are Unincorporated
Many communities remain unincorporated because they are small. They might not have enough people to form their own city government. Sometimes, residents prefer to be part of the county system. This can mean fewer local rules or lower local taxes.
Geography of Burchfield
Burchfield is situated in the state of West Virginia. West Virginia is known for its beautiful mountains and forests. Wetzel County, where Burchfield is found, is in the northern part of the state.
Location Details
The community is located at an elevation of about 856 feet (261 meters) above sea level. This elevation gives it a specific position within the hilly landscape of West Virginia. Its exact coordinates are 39 degrees, 35 minutes, 12 seconds North latitude and 80 degrees, 32 minutes, 27 seconds West longitude.
Time Zone Information
Like many places in the eastern United States, Burchfield is in the Eastern Time Zone. This means during standard time, it's five hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (UTC-5). During Daylight Saving Time, it moves to Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), which is four hours behind UTC (UTC-4).