Cootes Store, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cootes Store
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Cootes Store in 1895
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 Cootes Store
Location in Virginia
Cootes Store
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Rockingham County |
| Elevation | 330 m (1,083 ft) |
Cootes Store is a small place in Rockingham County, Virginia, United States. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
This community is located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. You can find it north of Harrisonburg and west of Timberville. The border with West Virginia is close by. Also, part of the George Washington National Forest is nearby. Cootes Store sits in a gorge where the North Fork Shenandoah River flows. It's right where Route 613 and Route 259 meet.
What's in a Name?
The name Cootes Store comes from a man named Samuel Cootes. He owned a store in the area, and the community was named after his business. Samuel Cootes was an important person locally. He owned a lot of land and was a respected member of the community. Later, he even served in the Virginia House of Delegates. This is a group of people who make laws for the state of Virginia.
A Look Back in Time
Long ago, small villages like Cootes Store needed a place to buy everything. Samuel Cootes's store filled this need for Cootes Store and another nearby town called Dovesville (now Bergton).
Cootes Store was a popular meeting spot for working men. It was located about a mile from Brocks Gap. Its central location made it a great place for people to gather on a Saturday afternoon. Old photos show that it was always a farming community. There were even cowboys there in earlier times!
Around 1870, people started using the Shenandoah River to move goods and people. They traveled from Brock's Gap all the way to Cootes Store. By the year 1900, Cootes Store had its own public school. It was a one-room schoolhouse where many children learned together.
In 1936, a very big flood hit Cootes Store and Bergton. The water was as deep as four feet in some places. This flood washed away many barns, small houses, and other buildings in the area. Today, you can still see many barns in the community.
Getting Around
Around 1880, a special bridge was built in Cootes Store. It was a covered bridge that went over an older bridge. This new bridge helped raise the road higher over the North Fork of the river. Like other towns along the Shenandoah River, Cootes Store also had a fun swinging bridge.
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