Covington dates to 1821, and 5 of its places are on the National Register
More historic than 79% of U.S. towns · #36 of 263 in Georgia. What drives it
Most of Covington was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1989. 5 places in town are on the National Register, among them four historic districts with 759 buildings between them. Below: 18 old photos and papers, maps from 1884 on, and the census since 1870.
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1823.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Covington’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Covington is more historic than 79% of U.S. towns, #36 of 263 in Georgia. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.
A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Covington’s overall grade.
Georgia towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Georgia town has 10.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Covington’s 521 sits above most of its state (90% of Georgia towns have fewer) while its 760 historic buildings outnumber those of 98% of U.S. towns.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to A. The pre-1940 share (±2.6 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1821.
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Covington’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Every building
Covington, building by building, 1884–1916
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
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 Brigadier General and United States Congressman Leonard Covington, a hero of the War of 1812.
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 homes were spared.
In 1821, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Covington’s post office opened in 1823, and the census of 1870 counted 1,121 people here.
How does Covington rank for history?
Covington is more historic than 79% of U.S. towns, #36 of 263 in Georgia. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Covington?
5 listings: 1 building and 4 historic districts with 759 contributing buildings. 760 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Covington?
6% of Covington’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.6 points), against a typical 3.8% for a Georgia town; the median home was built in 1989.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (13), the Library of Congress (5), the National Register of Historic Places (5), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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