Covington is a city in the U.S. state of Georgia and the seat of Newton County, and is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2010 Census, its population 14,113.

History

Covington was founded by European immigrants to the United States. It was incorporated in 1821 as the seat of the newly organized Newton County. Covington was named for

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointe ...

and United States Congressman Leonard Covington, a hero of the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

. The settlement grew with the advent of the railroad in 1845. Covington incorporated as a city in 1854. In 1864, General Sherman's troops marched through during their March to the Sea. Although they looted the city, destroying numerous buildings, several

antebellum Antebellum, Latin for "before war", may refer to: United States history * Antebellum South, the pre-American Civil War period in the Southern United States ** Antebellum Georgia ** Antebellum South Carolina ** Antebellum Virginia * Antebellum ar ...

homes were spared.

Historic districts

The Covington Historic District and the North Covington Historic District within the city are both listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. The maps and materials describing these two districts are available for review through City Hall. The Covington Historic District contains Floyd Street and the downtown square. The North Covington Historic District contains North Emory Street and Odum Street as its hub. Both districts have an ordinance to preserve their character, regulating changes proposed for properties, and special permits may be required. The Covington Mill Village is also a vital part of local history. The Starrsville Historic District, site of the historic settlement of Starrsville, is in the exurban area around Covington. The Newton County Courthouse, brick store, and Salem campground are separately NRHP-listed.

Geography

Covington is located in north central Georgia, in the eastern part of

Metro Atlanta Metro Atlanta, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Alpharetta, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Georgia and th ...

. Interstate 20 runs to the north of the city, with access from exits 90, 92, and 93. Via I-20,

downtown Atlanta Downtown Atlanta is the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The larger of the city's two other commercial districts ( Midtown and Buckhead), it is the location of many corporate and regional headquarters; city, county ...

is west, and Augusta is east.

U.S. Route 278 U.S. Route 278 (US 278) is a parallel route of US 78. It currently runs for from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to Wickes, Arkansas at US 71/ US 59, passing through five states in the process. Landmarks along its route inclu ...

also runs through the city, leading east to Rutledge and northwest to

Conyers Conyers is an Atlanta suburb, the county seat of and only city in Rockdale County, Georgia, United States. The city is 24 miles (38.6 km) east of downtown Atlanta and is a part of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, t ...

, concurrent with I-20. Other highways that run through the city include Georgia State Routes 36, 81, and 142. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.72%) is water.

Climate

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 11,547 people, 4,261 households, and 2,906 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,542 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 51.55%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 45.54%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

, 0.18% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.94% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 2.87% of the population. There were 4,261 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples living together, 23.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.19. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.5% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $31,997, and the median income for a family was $36,408. Males had a median income of $29,622 versus $23,339 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $15,554. About 14.8% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 33.7% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Newton County School District

The

Newton County School District The Newton County School District is a public school district based in Decatur, Mississippi ( USA). In addition to Decatur, the district also serves the towns of Hickory, Chunky, Text list/ref> Little Rock, the community of Conehatta, and muc ...

holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of fourteen elementary schools, five middle schools, three high schools, an elementary theme school, and a charter school. The district has 853 full-time teachers and 13,681 students.

Private education

*Grace Christian Academy *Montessori School of Covington *Providence Classical Christian School *Peachtree Academy *Covington Academy *Point of Grace Christian School *First Baptist Academy

Higher education

* Georgia Piedmont Technical College - Covington Campus *

Georgia Perimeter College Perimeter College at Georgia State University is a college of Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia. Georgia Perimeter College was originally a public community college founded by an Atlanta area county board of education before merging ...

- Newton County Campus *

Emory University Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...

Oxford Campus Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

Tourism events

*Gaither's Plantation hosts a Fall Festival every year. *The Satsuki Garden Club conducts tours of historic houses in Covington every other Christmas. *The Vampire Diaries, Mystic Falls Tours

In film and television

Covington has been featured in numerous TV shows and movies since the 1950s. Boycott (2001 TV movie) *''A Man called Peter'' (1955) *'' False Face'' (1977) *'' The Dukes of Hazzard'' (1979, TV series, first 5 episodes) *''

The Prize Fighter ''The Prize Fighter'' is an American comedy film starring Tim Conway and Don Knotts. Directed by Michael Preece, it was written by Tim Conway and John Myhers, based on a story by Conway. It was released by New World Pictures in November 1979. P ...

'' (1979) *'' Little Darlings'' (1980) *'' The Cannonball Run'' (1981) *''

Coward of the County "Coward of the County" is a song written by Roger Bowling and Billy Edd Wheeler, and recorded by American country music singer Kenny Rogers. The song was released in November 1979 as the second single from Rogers' multi-platinum album '' Kenny'' ...

'' (1981, TV movie) *''Door to Door'' (1985) *'' Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI'' (1986) *''Resting Place'' (1986, TV movie) *''A Fathers Homecoming''(1988) *'' In the Heat of the Night'' (1988–1995, TV series) *''Sudie & Simpson'' (1990) *'' Carolina Skeletons'' (1991) *''White Lie'' (1991) *''Stay the Night'' (1991) *''

I'll Fly Away "I'll Fly Away" is a hymn written in 1929 by Albert E. Brumley and published in 1932 by the Hartford Music company in a collection titled ''Wonderful Message''.Richard Matteson, Jr.''The Bluegrass Picker's Tune Book'' Mel Bay Publications, 2006 ...

'' (1991–1992, TV series) *''Grass Roots'' (1992) *''The Secret Passion of Robert Clayton'' (1992) *''

My Cousin Vinny ''My Cousin Vinny'' is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Jonathan Lynn, and written by Dale Launer, who also produced with Paul Schiff. The film stars Joe Pesci, Ralph Macchio, Marisa Tomei, Mitchell Whitfield, Lane Smith, Bruce McGill ...

'' (1992) *'' Kalifornia'' (1993) *''The Oldest Living Confederate Widow'' (1993) *''A Passion for Justice: The Hazel Brannon Smith Story'' (1993) *''Past the Bleachers'' (1994) *'' A Simple Twist of Fate'' (1994) *'' Savannah'' (1996, TV series) *''

Fled ''Fled'' is a 1996 American buddy action comedy film directed by Kevin Hooks. It stars Laurence Fishburne and Stephen Baldwin as two prisoners chained together who flee during an escape attempt gone bad. Plot An interrogator prepares a man t ...

'' (1996) *'' Flash'' (1997, TV movie) *''

Miss Evers' Boys ''Miss Evers' Boys'' is an American made-for-television drama starring Alfre Woodard and Laurence Fishburne that first aired on February 22, 1997, and is based on the true story of the four-decade-long Tuskegee Syphilis Study. It was directed by ...

'' (1997 TV movie) *'' Remember the Titans'' (1999) *''The Price of a Broken Heart'' (1999, TV movie) *'' Wayward Son'' (1999) *''

Run Ronnie Run ''Run Ronnie Run!'' is an American satirical comedy film directed by Troy Miller. The film is a spin-off inspired by David Cross's recurring character Ronnie Dobbs from the HBO sketch comedy series '' Mr. Show''. David Cross plays the lead and mu ...

'' (2000) *'' The Accountant'' (2001, short film) *''

Boycott (2001 film) ''Boycott'' is a 2001 American made-for-television biographical drama film directed by Clark Johnson, and starring Jeffrey Wright as Martin Luther King Jr. The film, based on the book ''Daybreak of Freedom'' by Stewart Burns, tells the story of ...

'' (2001, TV movie) *''TV Road Trip'' (2002, documentary) *'' Sweet Home Alabama'' (2002) *''Autorequiem'' (2002) *'' The Fighting Temptations'' (2003) *''Turbulance!'' (2004) *''The Spy/Fancy Dress'' (2004) *'' Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius'' (2004) * ''Three Wishes'' (2005, TV series, episode 3) *''False River'' (2005) *''Boxed In'' (2005) *'' Madea's Family Reunion'' (2006) *''Dangerous Calling'' (2008) *'' Get Low'' (2009) *'' Halloween II'' (2009) *''

The Family That Preys ''The Family That Preys'' is a 2008 American comedy-drama film, written, produced, and directed by Tyler Perry. The screenplay focuses on two families, one wealthy and the other working class, whose lives are intertwined in both love and business ...

'' (2009) *''Fly By'' (2009) *''

The Vampire Diaries ''The Vampire Diaries'' is an American supernatural teen drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, based on the book series of the same name written by L. J. Smith. The series premiered on The CW on September 10, ...

'' (2009–2017, TV series) *'' The Walking Dead'' (2010, TV series, episode 1) *'' Footloose'' (2011) *'' American Reunion'' (2012) *'' The Odd Life of Timothy Green'' (2012) *'' Selma'' (2014) *'' Taken 3'' (2014) *''

Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors ''Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors'' is a 2015 American made-for-television drama film based on a true story by Dolly Parton, written by Pamela K. Long and directed by Stephen Herek. The film premiered on NBC on December 10, 2015. The film rec ...

'' (2015, TV movie) *''

Vacation A vacation (American English) or holiday (British English) is either a leave of absence from a regular job or an instance of leisure travel away from home. People often take a vacation during specific holiday observances or for specific fes ...

'' (2015) *'' Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween'' (2018) *''

Dumplin' ''Dumplin is a 2015 young adult novel and the second book by the American author Julie Murphy. It was first published in hardback in the United States on September 15, 2015 through Balzer + Bray. An audiobook adaptation, narrated by Eileen Ste ...

'' (2018) *'' Legacies'' (2018-2022), TV series) *'' Doctor Sleep'' (2019) *'' Sweet Magnolias'' (2020, TV series) *'' Freaky'' (2020) *''

The American Barbecue Showdown ''Barbecue Showdown'' (originally titled ''The American Barbecue Showdown'') is a reality television series filmed in Covington, Georgia that premiered on Netflix on September 18, 2020. On August 9, 2021, Netflix renewed the series for a second ...

'' (2020, TV series) *'' Jungle Cruise (film)'' (2021)

Notable people

* George Adams, jazz tenor saxophonist *

George T. Anderson George Thomas Anderson (February 3, 1824 – April 4, 1901) was a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Nicknamed "Tige," Anderson was noted as one of Robert E. Lee's hardest-fighting subordinates. Early life and c ...

- Confederate

General A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

Leon Ashley Leon Walton (May 18, 1936 – October 20, 2013), better known by his stage name Leon Ashley, was an American country music singer. He is known mainly for his single " Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)", which topped the country singles char ...

- singer *

Jay Bailey James Edward Bailey (1944 – 9 May 2001), generally known as Jay Bailey, was an American pioneer of biochemical engineering, particularly metabolic engineering. He was said to be "the most influential biochemical engineer of modern times".Grego ...

- manufacturing expert *

Boondox David Hutto (born September 4, 1975) is an American rapper from Covington, Georgia. A representative of the hip hop subgenres rap rock, horrorcore and country rap, Hutto is most commonly known as Boondox, whose stage persona is a killer scar ...

(David Hutto) - rapper on

Majik Ninja Entertainment Twiztid is an American hip hop duo from Detroit, Michigan, known for both their horror-themed lyrics and rock influenced sound. Formed in 1997, Twiztid is composed of rappers Jamie "Madrox" Spaniolo and Paul "Monoxide" Methric. Spaniolo and ...

Dale Carter Dale Lavelle Carter (born November 28, 1969) is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He played for the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, and Baltimore Ravens. Profes ...

- professional football player *

Ellia English Ellia English is an American singer, dancer, stage and film actress. She is best known for her role as Aunt Helen King on the comedy sitcom ''The Jamie Foxx Show'' which originally ran from 1996 to 2001, where she was featured in a central role a ...

- actress best known for her role as Aunt Helen on the Jamie Foxx Show * Akeem Hunt- running back for the

Ottawa Redblacks The Ottawa Redblacks (officially stylized as REDBLACKS) ( French: Le Rouge et Noir d'Ottawa) are a professional Canadian football team based in Ottawa, Ontario. The team plays in the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Starti ...

of the

CFL The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

Andy Offutt Irwin Andy Offutt Irwin (born December 14, 1957) is an American storyteller, singer-songwriter, and humorist. Born and raised in Covington, Georgia, a small town outside of Atlanta, Irwin began his career in 1984 with an improvisational comedy troup ...

award-winning storyteller and

recording artist A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who wr ...

Ryan Klesko Ryan Anthony Klesko (born June 12, 1971) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and corner outfielder who played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. He attended Westminster High School in Westminster, C ...

- former

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

player * Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar (II) - politician,

Secretary of the Interior Secretary of the Interior may refer to: * Secretary of the Interior (Mexico) * Interior Secretary of Pakistan * Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (Philippines) * United States Secretary of the Interior See also *Interior ministry An ...

for

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...

- Associate Justice of the Supreme Court * Demetrius McCray - football player,

cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...

* Dinah Watts Pace - educator, operated an orphanage in the area *

Sheldon Rankins Sheldon Taylor Rankins (born April 2, 1994) is an American football defensive tackle for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Louisville. He was drafted in the first round (12th overall) by the ...

- defensive tackle for the

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

of the NFL * Jake Reed - former professional football player * Steadman Vincent Sanford - Chancellor of the University System of Georgia * Eric Stokes - American football

* Lizzie Wilkerson - African-American folk artist

References

External links

Covington Newton County Life and Living

The City of Covington official site

Downtown Covington

The Covington/Newton County Chamber of Commerce

The Center for Community Preservation and Planning

The Newton Citizen

The Arts Association in Newton County

The Covington Municipal Airport Authority
{{authority control Cities in Georgia (U.S. state) Cities in Newton County, Georgia County seats in Georgia (U.S. state) Geography of Newton County, Georgia Historic districts in Metro Atlanta Second Empire architecture in Georgia (U.S. state) Italianate architecture in Georgia (U.S. state) 1820s architecture in the United States 1822 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Georgia (U.S. state) National Register of Historic Places in Newton County, Georgia