Birch River Contents

Cowen  The town nearest the head of the river. It has a rich railroad history and in fact was established by the West Virginia and Pittsburgh Railway Company in 1892. The former Cowen Depot is being restored as a museum. Cowen is located in Webster County.

Peak of Birch  The highest elevation on the 143-square mile watershed is an unnamed 2,792 foot ridge three miles southwest of Cowen on the headwaters of Meadow Fork. Skip Johnson, the author of "River on the Rocks" (The Birch River Story), named it Ashton Place in honor of Ken Ashton. Ashton is with the West Virginia Geological Survey and he identified the peak for Skip while helping out with the research for the book.

Boggs  A Webster County hamlet located eight and one-half miles below the start of the river. English Bill Dodrill, who was probably the first white settler on upper Birch, is believed to have come there in 1799. Another defining moment for Boggs came in 1894 when a shootout at the local store and post office left two men dead and three wounded in a bloody sixty seconds.

Barnett Run  Named for Bearhunter Billy Barnett, whose encounter with a bear either on the head of Barnett Run, or on the dividing ridge between Barnett Run and Poplar Creek, has become an upper Birch legend. The incident occurred in the mid-1800's.

Boggs Falls & Gristmill  One half mile below Barnett Run is a sixteen foot falls that is the largest on the river. A classic grist mill was built there in 1883 by Bearhunter Billy Barnett. Both the falls and the mill have been featured many times in magazine articles. The mill sluice was cut through solid rock and of course, is still readily visible. The mill was run for most of its years by the Rev. W. L. McCoy family. It was damaged by a flood in 1954 and has since ceased to exist.

Skyles  Located at the mouth of Skyles Creek, at a defined corner of Webster and Nicholas Counties, Skyles was a booming lumber town from 1912 to 1927. Eakin Lumber Company logged the vast area on the Skyles Creek drainage as well as up and down the Birch River. Eakin's seventy-ton Shay locomotive engine is now on display at the Pennsylvania Logger's Museum in Galeton.

Poplar Creek  This rugged creek was named for the large poplar trees that were cut there in the later 1800's and early 1900's. At 6.27 miles in length, it is the second largest of Birch's tributaries. Only Little Birch River is longer.

Bubbie Hole  Located just above the mouth of Anthony Creek, near Birch Village, this rounded pool of water is named for James (Bubbie) Dodrill, a schoolteacher and Nicholas County circuit clerk who was born nearby and loved to swim at this spot.

Anthony Creek  Another large and rugged drainage found on upper Birch. It was logged extensively in the early 1900's by both the Eakin Lumber Company and the Birch Valley Lumber Company. Anthony Creek heads near the Nicholas County community of Tioga, where the Birch Valley Lumber Company was located.

Birch Village  This community is located on U.S. 19 in Nicholas County, halfway between the head and mouth of the river. It is the largest community on the river with a population of about 350. It was on the route of the Weston to Gauley Bridge Turnpike and has a rich Civil War history. Two future presidents, Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley, came through Birch Village in September 1861 as part of the Union forces heading toward the battle of Carnifex Ferry, which was fought in Nicholas County.

Powell's Mountain  Its 2,417 foot presence looms over Birch Village. U.S. 19 crosses this storied mountain and a Department of Highways overlook enables motorists to enjoy its rugged terrain from a distance. An aura of mystery hangs over Powell's Mountain. On September 8, 1861, Henry Young was shot and killed by Union forces near the top of the mountain. He is buried near the top of the mountain. The circumstances of his death and his role in the war have been debated in this area ever since.

Cora Brown Bridge  One of the most familiar landmarks in the area is the Cora Brown Bridge. It is located about two and one-half miles below the village of Birch River and about 17 miles above the mouth of the river. It is named for a longtime resident of the area. Although Cora Brown passed away many years ago, the adjacent house is still referred to as the "Cora Brown House." It is here that Birch begins its journey as designated in the State Natural Streams Preservation Act by the 1975 West Virginia Legislature. Find out More!

Henshelwood Eddy  This is the first large pool of water below the Cora Brown Bridge. It was named for J. V. Henshelwood, a former superintendent of the Elk River Coal and Lumber Company at Widen, who built a camp here in 1936. Foundation stones can still be seen along the right bank of the river. Find out More!

Slabcamp Run  Birch River in this area has always been sparsely populated because of the river's remoteness, but in the early part of the 20th century there were more families living on the river as compared to now. Back then people were less dependent on the automobile and families would settle in what would now be considered inaccessible locations. A case in point is Slabcamp Run, which enters Birch from the left one mile below the Cora Brown Bridge. The ruins of a long-ago home are still visible near the mouth of Slabcamp. Find out More!

Frank Given Hole This picturesque hole of water near the mouth of Big Run, about one mile below the Cora Brown Bridge, marks the beginning of the big rocks that characterize the next eight miles of Birch. Frank Given, a farmer, settled on Birch here in 1896. Find out More!

Splashdam  Around 1912, the Birch River Boom and Lumber Company built a modest dam on Birch between Slabcamp Run and the Frank Given Hole. It was hoped that the water releases from this dam would send the logs shooting downstream to their mill at Glendon. Their venture proved unsuccessful. Timbers from this effort are still visible in the riverbed.

Feedtrough Run   One of the most colorful stories associated with this part of Birch River is how Feedtrough Run got its name. This part of the river was supposedly on the route of the mail carriers who rode horseback between Summersville and Sutton. One mail carrier cut down a large tree and hewed it out with an axe, thus creating a feedtrough for his horse. Whether this is true or not is unknown, but it does make a nice story. Find out More!

Little Birch River  The largest tributary of Birch River heads near the Webster County town of Erbacon and flows for 19.84 miles, entering Birch 13.1 miles above the mouth of the river at a defined corner of Nicholas and Braxton counties. Of the 753 streams that comprise the Elk River watershed, only six are larger than Little Birch. Find out More!

Brady Rock  This large overhang is not a rock on the river but actually a cliff that sets a hundred feet or so back from the rivers' edge. During periods of extreme flow it is the site of a very large & spectacular waterfall. Find out More!

Hoylman Camp  This camp was built by the late George Hoylman, a doctor in Gassaway. For many years there was a five hole golf course in the river bottom at this picturesque site. Dr. Hoylman and his wife, Alta, were instrumental in gaining scenic river designation for Birch.

Long Run  This first major tributary of Birch River in Braxton County is 4.64 miles long and heads near the community of Canfield. It is named for James Long, who once owned 1,600 hundred acres of land on the head of Long Run.

Herold Road Bridge and Scenic Sign  The bridge over Birch River, one mile above Herold, was originally built in 1921 and was replaced in 1993. Carmel Johnson, who worked on the 1921 span as a teenager and lived at the mouth of Long Run, watched the new bridge be built. At the north end of the bridge is the "Scenic Birch River" sign that commemorates the inclusion of the final seventeen miles of Birch into the State Natural Streams Preservation Act in 1975. Find out More!

Herold  The last community on Birch's trek to the Elk River boasts a population of 9 in the 2000 census. It is named for George A. Herold, who established a store and post office there in 1891. Herold is located 9.7 miles above the mouth of the river and is the last settlement on the river. Find out More!

Big Eddy Rock  Around a bend in the river just below Herold sits the Big Eddy Rock. This rock is the second largest on the river and it weighs in at an estimated 1,699 tons. It reposes directly in the middle of the river channel, making it all that more impressive. For more information, see the March Spotlight link. Find out More!

Sulfur Springs  A picturesque hole of water found halfway between the Big Eddy and Falls Rock. It has its own rock guarding the pool to the north side and impressive smooth rock ledges on the south side that extend all the way to the Falls. A sulfur spring under the rock on the north side gives this hole its name.

Falls Rock  This magnificent hunk of sandstone sits in the river approximately one mile below Herold and weighs in at an estimated 1,080 tons. Its location near a modest falls gives it its name. The rock has a sculpted look and is a favorite of photographers. For more information, see the March Spotlight link. Find out More!

Fast Hollow Rock  It is the largest of the many large rocks that give Birch River its unique character. It sits on the edge of the river about an eighth of mile below the Falls Rock. The Fast Hollow Rock weighs an estimated 2,025 tons. The Fast Hollow is named for Waitman and Delia Fast, who settled on the head of the hollow in 1886. For more information, see the March Spotlight link. Find out More!

The Abner  According to local legend, a man named Abner drowned there while helping run logs down Birch River. This is believed to have happened somewhere between 1880 and 1910 but no further details are known about this unfortunate mystery man. This hole of water is located in one of the rockiest and most isolated areas of the river. Find out More!

Lee Jack Wood Plout  This hole of water, or series of holes, is named for a man who lived along the river there in the early 1900's. The Lee Jack Plout marks the end of the large rocks found on Birch, ending a spectacular eight mile run. Find out More!

Blue Hole  Local legend has it that this is the deepest hole on the river. Some estimates say thirty feet, although twenty feet at normal summer flow is more likely. In wintertime at low flow, viewed from above, the water here has a striking indigo blue appearance. Find out More!

Middle Run  This tributary begins near exit 57 of Interstate 79 and enters Birch just downstream from the Blue Hole. Foundation stones remain from the log house where at least three families lived at different times over the years at the mouth of the creek.

Smith Eddy  Alonzo (Lon) Smith came to this part of Birch River in the early 1900's and lived there until 1941; thus the eddy is named for him. He was a farmer, blacksmith and a trader of horses and mules. He did not allow his eight sons to fish on Sunday, a rule that must have tested them sorely. Find out More!

Diatter Run  One legend has it that this tributary is named for Frank Diadda, a French Soldier who deserted at Fort Duquesne in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He made his way down the Ohio River, then up the Kanawha and Elk and finally found a place on the Birch watershed that bears his name, or a version of his name.

Upper and Lower Keener Eddies  Together, they form the longest eddy on the river. The Lower Keener is well known for the large muskies and walleye that were once caught there. Warder S. Dean, a familiar name on lower Birch, settled there in 1917. His house still stands, although now it is a seasonal camp. Find out More!

Long Shoal  This rocky shoal immediately below the Lower Keener Eddy is the longest shoal on the river. It is narrow and resembles a "chute" and is quite turbulent at high flows. It leads to the Perrine Ford, named for Lewis Perrine, who once lived nearby and owned a considerable amount of land in the area. Find out More!

Willis Long Plout  This stretch of water starts below the Perrine Ford and is named for Willis Long, who lived there in the early 1900's. At the lower end of the plout is Reynolds Rock. Reynolds Given lends his name to this rock because after his log rafts were swept into it, he dynamited the rock. Part of the rock remains in place to this day.

Martha Butcher Hole  Named for Martha Butcher, who lived there from 1927 until 1954. Her husband, Ernie Butcher, made the only hydropower use of Birch River. He installed a waterwheel that produced enough electricity to light their home. They lived one hundred and fifty feet from the river but the 1932 flood, the largest of record on Birch, lapped under their front porch. Find out More!

Pig Shoal  Located below the Martha Butcher Hole, this modest shoal, which is no more than ten yards wide, got its unique name because in the late 1800's or early 1900's local farmers drove their swine across the river at this point to fatten them in acorn woods located on the north side. Several pigs are said to have drowned there at various times.

Fingerstone Rock and Cedar Cliffs  Fingerstone was named because someone with a vivid imagination said the markings on top of the rock look like giant fingers. Cedar Cliffs, which cannot be seen from the river, is a steep, rugged hillside dotted with many cedar trees. Supposedly there is a rock crevice where raccoons would take refuge when being pursued by dogs; the hounds would enter the crevice and could not find their way out.

Upper Turn Hole  A scenic hole of water that is shaped like a bathtub and is a delightful place to swim. The river makes a slight turn below the hole, hence the name. It lies in the shadow of the Devils' Backbone.

Devil's Backbone  This long, spiny ridge is a familiar geologic feature of lower Birch, not only because of its spine like shape but also because the river makes a dramatic loop around the entire ridge. The Devil's Backbone loop is one of many loops found on lower Birch. Find out More!

Leatherwood Eddy  Also known as the Riffel Eddy, it is one of the longest on the river and leads to the Leatherwood Ford where a country road crosses the river. This is the last road encountered until you come to the mouth of Birch. A solitary rock sits on the left descending bank of the eddy; it is the final large rock found on "River on the Rocks". Find out More!

Lower Turn Hole  In the 1960's, the Army Corps of Engineers studied Birch River for a possible reservoir. The proposed dam would have been built 1.6 miles above the mouth of the river at the site of the Lower Turn Hole. Here the river makes a dramatic 4,500 foot loop that would have been bypassed by a 1,196 foot tunnel built through the hill for water releases. The proposed dam was never built. The former state record whitettail deer was killed on a farm above this site in 1976 by Doug Given, then a teenager and now a doctor in Gassaway. Find out More!

Mouth of Birch  Birch River enters the Elk River at Glendon at milepost 80.7 (Elk at that point is 80.7 miles above its mouth at Charleston, the capital city of West Virginia). Birch has flowed 36.6 miles from its origin near Cowen and has dropped 1,525 feet in elevation for an average drop of 42 feet per mile. The state record musky was caught in this eddy by Lester Hayes, Jr in 1955. It was fifty-two and one-half inches long and weighed slightly over 43 pounds. A heavier musky has since been caught at Stonecoal Lake in Lewis County but the length record still belongs to this final eddy of Birch River. Find out More!