Birch was the site of a small stage coach station on the Elko-Eureka and Elko-Hamilton stage runs. The station was named after James E. Birch, who had been a pioneer stage driver in northeastern and central Nevada. Even after the stage station had outlived it's usefulness, Birch lived on as a stopping place for automobile travelers heading south.

A post office opened at Birch on August 20, 1901, and was active until July 31, 1926. Once Interstate 80 was completed, there were paved roads going from Elko to Eureka, and the unpaved road going past Birch received less and less traffic. Today only a couple of collapsed buildings distinguish the Birch site from the surrounding desert.