| Official Name: | Birch Island |
| Settlement Type: | Census-designated place |
| Mapsize: | 260px |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Maine |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Cumberland |
| Subdivision Type3: | Town |
| Subdivision Name3: | Harpswell |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Coordinates: | 43.82°N -70.0067°W |
| Area Code: | 207 |
Birch Island is an island and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Harpswell, Maine, United States. It is part of the Portland - South Portland - Biddeford, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The 43acres island is believed to be one of Casco Bay's first settlements. Indigenous people traveled along the Androscoggin River to establish summer fishing camps on nearby islands.[1]
Birch Island is located in Casco Bay, around southeast of the southwestern end of the Harpswell Neck, a long peninsula, extending from Brunswick, which forms the southern bounds of Maquoit Bay.
Little Birch Island is located around northeast of Birch Island.
Norton Preserve, owned by Harpswell Heritage Land Trust and maintained by the Maine Island Trail Association, is located in the northeastern section of the island.[2] It is named for conservationists Helen and Walter Norton.[3] Walter died in May 2016, aged 91.[4] Helen owns School House 1913, a restaurant in Harpswell.[5]
Richard F. Snow published A History of Birch Island in 1992.[6]