Cootes Store, Virginia
Encyclopedia
Cootes Store is an unincorporated community in Rockingham County, Virginia
, USA. Located in the Shenandoah Valley
, it is situated north of Harrisonburg
, south of Bergton
, and west of Timberville
. The border with West Virginia
is nearby, as is the edge of George Washington National Forest. Cootes Store is within a gorge where the North Fork Shenandoah River breaks, at the crossroads of Route 613 and Route 259.
, owner of the eponym
ous store. He was a prominent local landholder and member of the community, who later served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates
.
).
Located a mile from "The Gap", Cootes Store was a rendezvous point for working men meeting on a Saturday afternoon, given its strategical location. Historic photographs reveal that from earlier times it was always an agricultural community with cowboys. In 1870, merchants began using the Shenandoah River from Brock's Gap to Cootes Store for transporting people and goods. By 1900, Cootes Store had a one room public school.
In 1936, Cootes Store and Bergton were affected by the Great Flood. At worst, the water was four feet deep and washed away many barns, cottages and other features in the area.
Today, the community consists of many barns.
Rockingham County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 67,725 people, 25,355 households, and 18,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 27,328 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, USA. Located in the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
, it is situated north of Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
, south of Bergton
Bergton, Virginia
Bergton is an unincorporated community located in Rockingham County, in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is located in George Washington National Forest, northeast of Timberville near the state border with West Virginia.-History:...
, and west of Timberville
Timberville, Virginia
Timberville is a town in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,739 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisonburg Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Timberville is located at ....
. The border with West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
is nearby, as is the edge of George Washington National Forest. Cootes Store is within a gorge where the North Fork Shenandoah River breaks, at the crossroads of Route 613 and Route 259.
Etymology
The name of the community is derived from that of Samuel CootesSamuel Cootes
Samuel L. Cootes was a prominent merchant, magistrate, and lawyer in Rockingham County, Virginia. The town of Cootes Store takes its name from his place of business. Cootes was a Democrat, and represented the area in the Virginia House of Delegates for a time.-Reference:* from the Rockingham...
, owner of the eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
ous store. He was a prominent local landholder and member of the community, who later served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
.
History
Isolated villages needed a general supply store, and Cootes supplied that need for two Virginia towns, Cootes Store and Dovesville (re-named BergtonBergton, Virginia
Bergton is an unincorporated community located in Rockingham County, in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is located in George Washington National Forest, northeast of Timberville near the state border with West Virginia.-History:...
).
Located a mile from "The Gap", Cootes Store was a rendezvous point for working men meeting on a Saturday afternoon, given its strategical location. Historic photographs reveal that from earlier times it was always an agricultural community with cowboys. In 1870, merchants began using the Shenandoah River from Brock's Gap to Cootes Store for transporting people and goods. By 1900, Cootes Store had a one room public school.
In 1936, Cootes Store and Bergton were affected by the Great Flood. At worst, the water was four feet deep and washed away many barns, cottages and other features in the area.
Today, the community consists of many barns.