Welcome to Grottoes, VAThe town of Grottoes is conveniently located between the City of Harrisonburg and the City of Staunton connected by Interstate 81 and Route 11. Grottoes started out as a “bedroom community”; the people who lived there worked either in Harrisonburg or Staunton with a short commute. The town was settled in 1735 by John Thomas, John Taylor and William Beverly. In the early 1800s it became known as ‘Viola’. In 1888 the area name was changed to ‘The Grottoes’. In 1890 The Grottoes Company began developing the area and laid out the perimeters of the town as ‘Shendun’. By 1893 The Grottoes Company went bankrupt and the town started to fail. In the early 1900s locals started to revive the town. They ran businesses such as a woodworking plant, a dry good store, a real estate office, a bowling alley, a mill and a blacksmith shop. The locals preferred the name Grottoes and so the town began to prosper.
Many attribute the success of the town to Burn Castle, a local contractor who also served as the mayor. Mr. Castle developed a water system for the town of Grottoes that is second to none. Still today this water system is one of the town’s greatest assets. Estler Brothers Lumber became one of the largest lumber mills around. They provided lumber for all surrounding towns as far away as Monterey, Virginia. Grottoes also became the first town in Rockingham County to have street cars. Other successful businesses at that time were a brick factory, a metal factory and train depot. In 1948 Grottoes hired it’s first Fire Chief, Charles Stickley, who served the town for 20 years. He was succeeded as Fire Chief by his son, Bob Stickley, who served the town for another 17 years. Bob Stickley went on to become a Realtor, and is still very involved with the town. Today there are more than 100 businesses registered in the town of Grottoes.
Grand Caverns lures many visitors to Grottoes as America’s oldest show cave. The caverns housed many civil war soldiers with over 230 verified soldier signatures. Grand Caverns is open seven days a week to the public, and offers other activities such as hiking, swimming and mini golf.
The town continues to successfully grow. Ground breaking to begin in 2010; the town has approved development for 167 single family homes, 53 duplexes and 100 townhouses located on the northern edge of Grottoes.
If you come to visit or are looking for a great community to live in, Grottoes has much to offer. Before you leave, stop by the Smokin’ Pig and try the fried pickles! You won’t be disappointed. | More Local Area InformationLocated south of Harrisonburg just off of Interstate 81, Weyers Cave is the epitome of small town America. The town was named for Bernard Weyer wh... Read moreAbout three miles east of Harrisonburg lies the little village of Penn Laird. While small, it offers nearby residents the convenience of countr... Read moreLocated 35 miles west of Charlottesville; Waynesboro, Virginia is a hub of activity. Numerous shopping, dining and entertainment venues can be foun... Read moreWaynesboro, Virginia, located in picturesque Augusta County and at the base of the fantastic Blue Ridge Mountains is certain to be a town you'd lov... Read moreKeezletown, VA is located in Rockingham County, just 3 miles east of Harrisonburg City, west of Massanutten Mountain Range, and 2 miles north o... Read moreThe Keezletown Elementary School was one of the 1st public schools in Rockingham County that was established after the Civil War. The origina... Read moreThe town of Bridgewater, Virginia is located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and nestled between the North River and Dry River banks. It i... Read moreThe City of Harrisonburg and County of Rockingham are located in the northern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia and offer a fascinating histor... Read moreNestled at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains lies the town of Elkton, VA, where you can enjoy small town life and be only fifteen minutes from th... Read moreDayton, VA, is a modern town listed on the National Historic Register, where Mennonite residents go about their days’ work utilizing horse draw... Read moreOriginally divided from Amherst County in 1807, Nelson County, Virginia has seen good times and bad. The beautiful mountain and valley setting mak... Read moreHinton, Virginia is located approximately four miles west of the City of Harrisonburg, Virginia on Rt. 33 West. It is a small village which has ... Read moreThe vibrancy of Albemarle County is surrounded by Central Virginia's picturesque Blue Ridge and Shenandoah mountains. This beautiful combination o... Read moreCentral Virginia is home to the Blue Ridge mountains, the University of Virginia, vineyards, peach and apple orchards, horse farms and races, an... Read moreLocated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and known for its year round beauty, Charlottesville, Virginia attracts visitors from all ove... Read moreMadison, Virginia is a rustic area in Virginia with a small town feel and great quality of life. Bordering Charlottesville and thereby th... Read moreThe beautiful town of Madison, located in the Blue Ridge foothills, offers a wonderfully picturesque landscape in which to lay down roots. Resident... Read moreLovingston, VA, located in beautiful Nelson County draws a host of new residents and visitors alike, all year; every year! Home to Wintergree... Read moreLocated in the Piedmont Plateau range of Virginia, Fluvanna County is blessed with gentle rolling hills and covers 282 square miles, of whic... Read moreLocated in Orange County and in close proximity to Fredericksburg, Virginia and Washington, D.C., this area is overflowing with history. Amongst man... Read more |
