Birch's Bridge

Birch's Bridge is a Virginia historical marker in Brunswick County, dedicated 1932.

Rte. 1, at intersection with Old Stage Road

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At Birch's Bridge (very near this bridge) the second William Byrd and his party crossed the river, in September, 1733, on their way to inspect Byrd's land holdings in North Carolina. Byrd wrote an account of this trip which he called "A Journey to the Land of Eden." On his return, he "laid the foundation" of Richmond and Petersburg. Error: The marker is inaccurate. They "laid the foundation" of Richmond and Petersburg while at Byrd's place on Bluestone Creek (western present-day Mecklenburg County) on their way to North Carolina, not after returning.

Maps this old were drawn largely by eye, so places on them can sit miles from where they really are. The pin is ours and marks the marker's location today.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1755 · Virginie, Maryland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1847 · Virginia (H. S. Tanner, 1847) (Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1889 · Virginia and West Virginia (eastern portion). (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1891 · (Virginia, N. Carolina) Railroad Map of the United States. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1919 · Mc Kenney, Virginia (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)

Virginie, Maryland, 1755, covering the location of Birch's Bridge, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — Virginie, Maryland, 1755, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

Example

For example, one family's tree showed the Articles of Confederation marker in Pennsylvania standing under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s.

What that marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years there.

From one family's 77-marker roster

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The marker isn't at this spotOur pin may be off. If you know where it stands, tell us.I couldn't find the markerWe record what the source recorded. We have not been to look.The sign reads differentlyThat would be an error, and we can pass it to the program.The historical map looks wrongThe period map behind the pin, not the marker itself.Something else

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Marker program managed by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

More markers nearby

Dinwiddie County/Brunswick Countysame spot
Brunswick County, Virginia--"The Original Home of Brunswick Stew"under 1 mi
Origins of 4-H in Virginia4 mi
Birthplace of Roger Atkinson Pryor4 mi