Birch Bay, Washington

Birch Bay, Washington
CDP
Birch Bay in 2008
Birch Bay in 2008
Location of Birch Bay within Whatcom County, Washington
Location of Birch Bay within Whatcom County, Washington
Coordinates: 48°55′56″N 122°44′50″W / 48.93222°N 122.74722°W / 48.93222; -122.74722
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyWhatcom
Area
 • Total
21.2 sq mi (54.9 km2)
 • Land15.8 sq mi (41.0 km2)
 • Water5.4 sq mi (14.0 km2)
Elevation
10 ft (3 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
10,115
 • Density480/sq mi (180/km2)
Time zoneUTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP code
98230
Area code360
FIPS code53-06190[1]
GNIS feature ID1512009[2]

Birch Bay (Tsan-wuch, Say-wak) is a protected bay of the east shore of the Salish Sea, between Semiahmoo Bay and Lummi Bay; approximately 100 miles (160 km) north of Seattle and 35 miles (56 km) south of Vancouver, BC, Canada.

The bay gives its name to a census-designated place (CDP) along the bay's shore in Whatcom County, Washington, United States. The population was 8,413 at the 2010 census, a 69.6% increase over 4,961 the 2000 census. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,115.[3]

The original name of this place, given by local indigenous communities is Tsan-wuch (Semiahmoo First Nation) and Say-wak (Lummi Nation / Lhaq'temish). Say-wak means "people saved from a flood by building a raft". Captains of Spanish ships from Acapulco and San Blas (Spanish west coast ports in Mexico) were in this area in 1791 and 1792 and named it Puerto del Garzon in 1791 by captain Jose Maria Narvaez. It was then renamed Birch Bay in 1792 by Archibald Menzies, a member of the Vancouver Expedition. Vancouver's two ships used Birch Bay as an anchorage for several days. Menzies noted a number of species of birch and gave the name to the bay.[4]

  1. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  3. ^ "Census Bureau profile: Birch Bay, Washington". United States Census Bureau. May 2023. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  4. ^ Roberts, John E. (2005). A Discovery Journal: George Vancouver's First Survey Season - 1792. Trafford Publishing. p. 101. ISBN 978-1-4120-7097-3.