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Covington, Virginia
Covington is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,737, making it the second-least populous city in Virginia. It is surrounded by Alleghany County, of which it is also the county seat. Located at the confluence of Jackson River and Dunlap Creek, Covington is one of three cities (with Roanoke and Salem) in the Roanoke Regional Partnership. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Covington with Alleghany county for statistical purposes.
The first white settlers came to what is now Covington in 1745 when the area was part of Augusta County, Virginia. Botetourt County took over much of the area in 1769; although Bath County and Monroe County also lay claim to parts of what is now the Alleghany County-Covington region.
Starting in August 1818, lots were sold in what is now Covington on 25 acres of land owned by Dr. James Merry. The unnamed community was referred to as the Mouth of the Dunlap. It was designed the town of Covington in 1819. Covington is named in honor of General Leonard Covington, hero of the War of 1812 and friend of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.
On January 5, 1822, the town became part of Alleghany County, formed by the Virginia General Assembly by combining sections of Bath, Botetourt, and Monroe Counties. The General Assembly incorporated Covington in 1833. By 1855, Covington had two streets and 43 houses. It was an agricultural center, with businesses and stores that supported farming and raising livestock. Hemp was the main crop in the area, needed by ships in eastern Virginia
The Virginia Central Railroad (later the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway) came to Covington in 1867.
The Covington Iron Furnace opened in 1891, producing 110 tons of pig iron a day. This was followed by the Deford Tannery in 1892. the E. M. Nettlton Planning Mill, two flour mills, the Covington Brick Company, the Alleghany Brick Company, the Alleghany Pin and Bracket Company, the Bates Value Company, and the Covington Machine Shops, which made coke extractors (furnace cleaners) used in manufacturing steel. In 1899, A. Adams McAllister made a bargain land sale to entice the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company (later called Westvaco and WestRock) to locate in Covington. The papermill would go on to become the community's largest employer.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway built its fourth largest freight paying station in Covington, after Chicago, Cincinnati, and Richmond. In addition fourteen passenger trains stopped in Covington, daily. In 1892, a $10,000 bond allowed Covington to build a sewerage and add sidewalks and a high school was constructed for $30,000. More industries opened in Covington, including Industrial Rayon Corporation (aka Applied Extrusion Technologies or AET) and Lear Corporation. In addition, Allied Chemical Corporation bought the former extraction plant.
The General Assembly designated Covington as the county seat of Alleghany County in 1902. As a result of its industrial boom, the population of Covington grew from 704 in 1890 to 5,632 in 1920. Covington expanded its town limited several times, finally becoming an independent city in 1952.
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Covington, Virginia
Covington is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,737, making it the second-least populous city in Virginia. It is surrounded by Alleghany County, of which it is also the county seat. Located at the confluence of Jackson River and Dunlap Creek, Covington is one of three cities (with Roanoke and Salem) in the Roanoke Regional Partnership. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Covington with Alleghany county for statistical purposes.
The first white settlers came to what is now Covington in 1745 when the area was part of Augusta County, Virginia. Botetourt County took over much of the area in 1769; although Bath County and Monroe County also lay claim to parts of what is now the Alleghany County-Covington region.
Starting in August 1818, lots were sold in what is now Covington on 25 acres of land owned by Dr. James Merry. The unnamed community was referred to as the Mouth of the Dunlap. It was designed the town of Covington in 1819. Covington is named in honor of General Leonard Covington, hero of the War of 1812 and friend of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.
On January 5, 1822, the town became part of Alleghany County, formed by the Virginia General Assembly by combining sections of Bath, Botetourt, and Monroe Counties. The General Assembly incorporated Covington in 1833. By 1855, Covington had two streets and 43 houses. It was an agricultural center, with businesses and stores that supported farming and raising livestock. Hemp was the main crop in the area, needed by ships in eastern Virginia
The Virginia Central Railroad (later the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway) came to Covington in 1867.
The Covington Iron Furnace opened in 1891, producing 110 tons of pig iron a day. This was followed by the Deford Tannery in 1892. the E. M. Nettlton Planning Mill, two flour mills, the Covington Brick Company, the Alleghany Brick Company, the Alleghany Pin and Bracket Company, the Bates Value Company, and the Covington Machine Shops, which made coke extractors (furnace cleaners) used in manufacturing steel. In 1899, A. Adams McAllister made a bargain land sale to entice the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company (later called Westvaco and WestRock) to locate in Covington. The papermill would go on to become the community's largest employer.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway built its fourth largest freight paying station in Covington, after Chicago, Cincinnati, and Richmond. In addition fourteen passenger trains stopped in Covington, daily. In 1892, a $10,000 bond allowed Covington to build a sewerage and add sidewalks and a high school was constructed for $30,000. More industries opened in Covington, including Industrial Rayon Corporation (aka Applied Extrusion Technologies or AET) and Lear Corporation. In addition, Allied Chemical Corporation bought the former extraction plant.
The General Assembly designated Covington as the county seat of Alleghany County in 1902. As a result of its industrial boom, the population of Covington grew from 704 in 1890 to 5,632 in 1920. Covington expanded its town limited several times, finally becoming an independent city in 1952.