The Roark family was among the earliest settlers of the Cherokee lands, with the homestead of Joseph Roark dating to about 1833.[4] The Roark-Conner Association has continued to document the genealogy and history of Birchwood.[5]
Much of Birchwood, along with nearby communities in the eastern part of Hamilton County, was part of James County, Tennessee from its creation in January 1871 until its dissolution in December 1919.[6]