Winterpock

Winterpock is an unincorporated community that is so small it doesn't even have a post office anymore. Around 1680 William Robertson established a plantation named "Winterpock." The name may possibly have come from a creek the Native Americans called "Win-to-poa-ke."

The Clover Hill Pits were a series of coal mines formed in 1837 when heavy rains exposed coal. They operated from around 1837 - 1883. Winterpock became a mining town with many of the miners living there. In 1870 the town reached its peak with around 1000 residents. But as the coal ran out so did the population. Naturally most of the coal was transported by rail. At one time there was a rail depot, and a factory that made wooden matches. That factory closed a few years after the First World War.

Those former rails were eventually turned into roads. This store opened in 1926 primarily selling gasoline and food to the growing number of people traveling by automobile. Another store opened across the street, and back in the day they were the hub of activity in Winterpock.

My first visit was in June of 2020 - back then the store still had its "Coke" sign.

From the front it’s hard to imagine how “deep” the store was.

An interior shot - notice the intricate ceiling tiles.

COKE must have been a big thing judging from how many times it’s logo is on the building.

Images on the left are from 2020, on the right from 2025. The top images are the Post Office.

The bottom images are the Brooks Store.

Kathi Barden Brooks: My husband’s family ran the “other store” up the hill and also the post office. I think it was 1987 the post office closed.

Mark Lythgoe: My dad rented and run this store I believe it was in the 1990s his name was George Lythgoe I happen to be at the store the day the coke sign was painted on the side of the store great memories glad to see these pic of it it looks a lot more run down than I remember it my dad lived in the winter pock area for many years.

Rusty Leslie: My dad grew up in Winterpock. Still have family there.

Cindy Estes: I'm around the corner from the store. I loved shopping there when it was open. So sad to see it falling apart.

C Lewis Whitt Jr: I currently own the old Brooks store and Winterpock post office just up the road.