It is located approximately 12 miles (19 km) southwest of Belgrade and 3.9 mi (6.3 km) northeast of Viburnum, Missouri in Iron County.

[3] The community is named after an unidentified settler, as is a nearby stream, Courtois Creek.

According to Ramsay, "The name of the creek is locally pronounced and sometimes written as Coataway or Cotoway.

A post office was established in 1886,[4] but is now closed and mail is now transported from Steelville or Belgrade.

This Washington County, Missouri state location article is a stub.