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Covington
History – City of Covington in Virginia |
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Map:
Official Geographical Location:
CITY
DISTRICT
Geographical Description:
CITY - Zip codes: 24426, Population in 1990: 6,991
Land area: 11.49 sq. kms.
DISTRICT - Zip codes: 24426, Population in 1990: 1,890
Land area: 70.848 sq. kms.
Non-populated areas: Edgemont, Fairlawn, Idlewilde,
Parrish Court, Rayon Terrace and Rivermont
With an elevation of 1245 ft, Covington, Virginia is the City and County
seat of Alleghany County, West Central Virginia, 35 miles North of Roanoke in
the Alleghenies, 141 miles West by North of Richmond and 55 miles North West by
West of Lynchburg, in Jackson River Valley, West of Lexington and East of
Beckley on U.S. Route 60.
History:
The site was first settled in 1746 and a later settlement, Merry's Store, grew around Fort Young. Laid out in 1819 and
named after Peter Covington, the town's oldest inhabitant, it was incorporated
as a town in 1873 and as a city in 1952. Covington continues to be politically
independent and governed by a manager and council. By 1970 the population stood
at 10,060.
The city serves as the western approach to the Shenandoah Valley, hemmed
in by Warm Springs, Sweet Springs and Lick Mountains.
Other points of interest include The Alleghany Central Scenic Railway
and Fort Young, a copy of the original built in 1754, taken from Col. George
Washington's original plans.
The Roaring Run Waterfall and Spa at Sweet Chalybeate, which is open to
public in summer for swimming, are both worth a visit as is the Humpback
Bridge, West on US 60. It is an unusual covered bridge, built by pioneers in
1835 and made of hand-hewn oak held together by locust pins and is the only one
of its type in the U.S.
Falling Spring, a 200 ft cascading waterfall into a gorge was referred
to by Thomas Jefferson for its scenic beauty in his Notes on Virginia, A plaque
nearby refers to Indian War figure, Mad Ann Bailey, a frontier woman adept at
shooting, riding & swearing.
1911 Mansion in
Covington
THE HUMPBACK BRIDGE - COVINGTON
Extract from "Covered Bridges in Virginia"
Grandaddy of the covered bridges can be found west of Covington as part
of the Kanawha Turnpike in Alleghany County. One of three humpback bridges said
to have been built within a mile, it received its name from its location and
its rise of eight feet from the bridge's ends to its centre
The 100 ft long, single-span structure carried traffic for nearly 400
years before being abandoned in 1929. For nearly a quarter of a century, it
stood derelict near its then-modern successor
Since 1954, it has been maintained as part of a five-acre, highway
wayside three miles west of Covington on US 60. The Business and Professional
Women's Club of Covington and the Covington Chamber of Commerce were active in
securing donations to help restore the old structure and to preserve it as part
of Alleghany County's history Today it is the nation's only surviving
curved-span covered bridge.
The bridge can be reached from Interstate 64 by taking ramps to US 60 at
the Callaghan interchange, then traveling east on US 60 about a half-mile, or
by taking US 60 west from Covington."
Recent History:
A visitor would also enjoy Moomaw Lake, 12
miles long with 100 mile of coastline of towering
mountains and The James River Ranger District office of the George Washington
National Forest.
Main local trades include Paper, rayon textiles, furniture, flour, coal,
iron & limestone, film, chemicals and production of bleached board.
Addresses worth contacting for further local information are:
The Archives Dept, Room E400 State of West Virginia Library, Charleston
25305.
West Virginia Collection, University of West Virginia, Morganstown 26506.
Greater Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce, 241 West Main St,
Covington 24426.
Links to other websites:
Covington -
Virginia Is For Lovers
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