Covington, Georgia
—  City  —
Newton County Courthouse (Built 1884), Covington, Georgia
Location in Newton County and the state of Georgia
Covington Location of Covington in Metro Atlanta
Coordinates: 33°36′N 83°52′W / 33.600°N 83.867°W / 33.600; -83.867Coordinates: 33°36′N 83°52′W / 33.600°N 83.867°W / 33.600; -83.867
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Newton
Area
• Total	13.9 sq mi (35.9 km2)
• Land	13.8 sq mi (35.6 km2)
• Water	0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)
Elevation	741 ft (226 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	13,118
• Density	830.7/sq mi (321.6/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes	30014-30016
Area code(s)	470/678/770
FIPS code	13-20064[1]
GNIS feature ID	0355354[2]

Covington is a city in Newton County, Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 13,118.^[4] The city is the county seat of Newton County.^[5]

History[edit]

Incorporated in 1822, Covington was named for United States Army Brigadier General and United States Congressman Leonard Covington, a hero of the War of 1812. The city grew with the advent of the railroad in 1845.

In 1864, General Sherman's troops marched through during their March to the Sea. Although the city was looted, several antebellum homes were spared. Georgia militiamen and forces under Sherman's command skirmished November 17–18 on the banks of the Alcovy River, just east of Covington, in the Battle of Alcovy Ford.

Historic districts[edit]

The city of Covington encompasses two historic districts known as the Covington Historic District and the North Covington Historic District. These two districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 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 the Covington Historic District and the North Covington District, has an ordinance that must be followed when changes are made to properties within the districts, and special permits may be required. The Covington Mill Village was not accepted, by the general public, to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places, although the mill village is a vital part of Covington's history, but it does not have a specific ordinance to control changes, and may require permits. The Starrsville Historic District, site of the historic settlement of Starrsville, is nearby in the exurban area around Covington. The Newton County Courthouse, Brick Store, and Salem Camp Ground are separately NRHP-listed.^[3]

Geography[edit]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.9 square miles (36 km²), of which 13.8 square miles (36 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (0.72%) is water.

Demographics[edit]

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 11,547 people, 4,261 households, and 2,906 families residing in the city. The population density was 839.2 people per square mile (324.0/km²). There were 4,542 housing units at an average density of 330.1 per square mile (127.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 51.55% White, 45.54% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic 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 for the city was $15,554. About 14.8% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.7% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education[edit]

Newton County School District[edit]

The Newton County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve, that consists of fourteen elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools, an elementary theme school, and a charter school.^[6] The district has 853 full-time teachers and over 20,681 students.^[7]

Private Education[edit]

• Grace Christian Academy
• Montessori School of Covington
• Providence Christian School
• Peachtree Academy
• Covington Academy

Higher education[edit]

• Dekalb Technical College- Covington Campus^[8]
• Georgia Perimeter College- Newton County Campus^[9]
• Emory University- Oxford Campus^[10]

Tourism events[edit]

• 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.^[11]

In Film and Television[edit]

The Newton County courthouse is located next to the Mystic Grill set for The Vampire Diaries.

Covington has been featured in many TV shows and movies since the 1970s. The city's nickname is Hollywood South.^[12]

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• American Reunion, a Universal movie series filmed partly in Newton High School. Released: April 6, 2012 ^[13]
• The Odd Life of Timothy Green, a Disney film starring Jennifer Garner and Ron Livingston. Filming wrapped in January 2011 ^[14]
• The Magic Eye, a NBC made-for-TV movie about high school football in small-town America. Scheduled to air in June 2011.^[15]
• The Walking Dead, one of the opening scenes of the pilot episode was filmed on a rural road in unincorporated Newton County just outside of Covington city limits.
• The Accountant, a 2001 short film ^[16]
• The Vampire Diaries, a teen drama on the CW network, began filming on July 21, 2009^[17]
• Halloween II, (2009) a reboot of the 1980s film series directed by Rob Zombie.^[18]
• In the Heat of the Night, a television series from 1988 to 1995, Sparta Mississippi.^[19]
• The Family That Preys, a 2009 film by Tyler Perry.^[20]
• The Dukes of Hazzard, a TV series that was filmed in Covington and surrounding areas for half of the first season in 1978.^[21]
• False Face, a 1977 film.^[22]
• Kalifornia. a 1993 film starring Brad Pitt and David Duchovny filmed at the old Crest Motel.^[23]
• The Cannonball Run, filmed in 1981 starring Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise.^[24]
• Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004)^[25]
• Madea's Family Reunion (2006) Gaithers Plantation.^[26]
• Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)^[27]
• Run Ronnie Run (2000) ^[28]
• Remember the Titans (1999) ^[29]
• Three Wishes (2005) Amy Grant^[30]
• Miss Evers' Boys (1997 TV Movie)^[31]
• Past the Bleachers (1994)^{[nb 1]}
• The Oldest Living Confederate Widow (1993)^{[citation needed]}
• A Passion for Justice: The Hazel Brannon Smith Story (1993)^{[citation needed]}
• The Secret Passion of Robert Clayton (1992)^{[citation needed]}
• I'll Fly Away (1991–1992) ^[32]
• Stay the Night (1991)
• Grass Roots (1991) ^[33]
• Carolina Skeletons (1991)^{[citation needed]}
• White Lie (1991)^{[citation needed]}
• Sudie & Simpson (1990)^{[citation needed]}
• Resting Place (1986)^{[citation needed]}
• Sweet Home Alabama (2002) ^[29]
• Get Low (2009) ^[34]
• Little Darlings (1980) ^[35]
• The Fighting Temptations (2003) ^[36]
• Resting Place (1986) Hallmark Hall of Fame ^[37]
• A Simple Twist of Fate (1994) ^[38]
• Fled (1996) ^[39]
• Flash (1997 TV movie) ^[40]
• Savannah (1996 TV Series) ^[41]
• A Man called Peter (1955) ^[42]
• Boycott (2001) TV Movie, ^[43]
• Dangerous Calling (2008)^[44]
• Coward of the County (1981 TV movie) ^[45]
• False River (2005) ^[46]
• The Price of a Broken Heart (1999 TV Movie) ^[47]
• Wayward Son (1999) ^[48]
• The Prize Fighter (1979) ^[49]
• Door to Door (1985) ^[50]
• A Fathers Homecoming(1988) ^[51]
• TV Road Trip (2002) Documentary, ^[52]
• Turbulance! (2004) ^[53]
• The Spy/Fancy Dress (2004) ^[54]
• Fly By (2009) ^[55]
• Boxed In (2005^[56]
• Autorequiem (2002) ^[57]
• American Reunion (2012), the fourth installment of the "American Pie" movie series, is filmed at Newton High School.^{[citation needed]}
• My Cousin Vinny (1992) ^[58]
• Footloose (2011)^[59]

Covington is also home to Triple Horse Productions (Commercial Production Company).^{[citation needed]}

Notable residents[edit]

The following notable people are or have been residents of the Covington area:

• George T. Anderson, Confederate General during the Civil War
• Leon Ashley, singer
• Dale Carter, professional American football player
• Ellia English, Actress best known for role as Aunt Helen on The Jamie Foxx Show
• Andy Offutt Irwin, award-winning storyteller and recording artist
• Ryan Klesko, Major League Baseball player
• Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar (II), politician, Secretary of the Interior for Grover Cleveland, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
• Jake Reed, former professional American football player
• Steadman Vincent Sanford, Chancellor of the University System of Georgia
• Jay Bailey, Manufacturing Expert
• Boondox (David Hutto), Rapper on Psychopathic Records

See also[edit]

Atlanta portal

• Covington Historic District
• Newton Citizen

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• 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
• Yellow River Dragstrip Event^{[dead link]}
• The Newton Citizen
• The Arts Association in Newton County
• The Covington Municipal Airport Authority

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v t e Municipalities and communities of Newton County, Georgia, United States County seat: Covington Cities Covington Mansfield Oxford Porterdale Social Circle‡ Town Newborn Unincorporated communities Dixie Starrsville Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

v t e Historic Districts in Metro Atlanta Clayton County Jonesboro Cobb County Acworth Acworth Collins Ave. Clarkdale Clarkdale Kennesaw Cherokee St. North Main St. Summers St. Marietta Church St.-Cherokee St. North Marietta Washington Ave. Whitlock Ave. Coweta County Newnan Cole Town Greenville St.-LaGrange St. Newnan Commercial Newnan Cotton Mill and Mill Village Northwest Newnan Residential Platinum Point Other Grantville Roscoe-Dunaway Gardens Sargent Senoia DeKalb County Atlanta Candler Park Druid Hills (Atlanta) Inman Park-Moreland Kirkwood Avondale Estates Brookhaven: Oglethorpe University Decatur Clairemont MAK (McDonough, Adams, King) Ponce de Leon Court South Candler Street-Agnes Scott College Winnona Park Druid Hills Emory Grove Emory University District University Park-Emory Highlands-Emory Estate Stone Mountain Douglas County Douglasville Fulton County Atlanta Adair Park Ansley Park Atkins Park Atlanta University Center Berkeley Park Brookhaven Brookwood Hills Cabbagetown Castleberry Hill Collier Heights Fairlie-Poplar Fox Theatre Historic District Garden Hills Georgia Tech Grant Park Hotel Row Howell Interlocking Knight Park-Howell Station Inman Park Inman Park-Moreland King Plow/Railroad Historic District (proposed) Knox Apts., Cauthorn House and Peachtree Rd. Apts. Lakewood Heights Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site Means St. Midtown Mozley Park Oakland City Peachtree Highlands-Peachtree Park Pittsburgh Reynoldstown Southern Ry. North Ave. Yards Sunset Ave. (proposed) Sweet Auburn Techwood Homes Underground Atlanta Virginia Highland Washington Park West End · Whittier Mills Other College Park East Point Industrial District Fairburn Hapeville Roswell Gwinnett County Norcross Hall County Gainesville: Brenau College Chicopee Mill and Village Gainesville Commercial Green Street Green St.-Brenau Other Clermont Flowery Branch Gillsville Lula Newton County Covington Covington Covington Mills and Mill Village Floyd Street Other Newborn North Covington Oxford Porterdale Starrsville Rockdale County Conyers Commercial Residential