About Birchwood

Our Community

Birchwood Village is a small lakeside community nestled along the south and east shores of White Bear Lake. Home to just 863 residents within 0.34 square miles, it is one of the smallest—and most distinctive—municipalities in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

The village’s origins date to the early 1900s, when families from Saint Paul began building summer cottages along the lake. Over time, many of those seasonal homes were expanded or rebuilt into year-round residences, while larger lots farther from the shoreline helped preserve Birchwood’s wooded, natural character.

Since its incorporation in 1921, Birchwood has maintained a strong sense of identity and community pride. That spirit was evident when residents successfully advocated to retain the name “Village” after a state reclassification of municipalities. The community was also once connected to Saint Paul and neighboring lakeshore communities by the historic Twin City Lines streetcar, which ran directly through the village.

At the center of community life stands the historic Birchwood Village Hall—the village’s only nonresidential building. Designed by Magnus Jemne and completed in 1932 during the Great Depression, the hall is a rare example of Art Deco architecture. Restored in 2021, it continues to serve as the gathering place for council meetings, elections, celebrations, and community events.

Despite its small size, Birchwood offers an exceptional amount of public green space, including four parks, five beaches along White Bear Lake, walking paths, and protected natural areas. Together, these amenities help define the village’s character as a close-knit lakeside community that values both its history and its natural surroundings.

Directions to City Hall