Covington celebrates 200 years of growth By TAYLOR BECK
C
tbeck@covnews.com
ovington was formed nearly 200 years ago specifically to be the county seat for Newton. When Newton County was established in 1821, Covington was nothing more than an idea yet to be realized. It was Brick Store — a general store and stage coach shop — that was the center of activity and the original county seat. The first session of court ordered by the General Assembly was held at the Brick Store, which was the residence of Martin Kolb at the time. Brick Store is located in the easternmost part of the county. The property was reportedly 250 acres, which was drawn in the 1820 land lottery of Walton County by a Hall County man, then later sold to Kolb for $200 in May 1821. Calculations show $200 then would have been equivalent to nearly $5,000 today. But before long, the General Assembly insisted the county seat be located at the central most part of the county. A county seat, which was the place where a courthouse and local government center would be located, was organized for every county
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Rivers Alive! • Saturday, September 24 Paper Shred Event • Monday, November 14 Adopt-a-Mile • 4 times per year, any time – participants choose dates Community Cleanups & Other Projects • Dates TBD – Check Website Environmental education programs, puppet shows, and demonstrations about litter prevention, water pollution prevention, waste reduction and recycling, and other topics custom-tailored for your group – available upon request, provided free of charge. For Event Details and More Information: www.keepnewtonbeautiful.org newtonclean@co.newton.ga.us 770-784-2015
established. Thus, Newtonsborough was born … but it wouldn’t stick. The town was officially renamed Covington in December 1822, named after Gen. Leonidas Covington. Covington was a military officer in the War of the American Revolution. He was a native of Aquacco, Maryland. He was commissioned lieutenant of Dragoons in 1792; joined the army under Gen. Wayne and reportedly “acquitted himself with such bravery that he was made a captain in 1794.” He retired from active military service soon thereafter. Covington served as a legislator in Maryland. He was a member of Congress from 1805-1807. He was appointed Lt. Colonel of Calvary in that year; and in 1813 he made Brigadier General. While on the northern frontier, he was fatally wounded in the battle of Crystal’s Field in 1813. From its inception to 1870, the town of Covington grew thanks in large part to the advent of the railroad in 1845. In 1854, Covington was chartered as a city. By 1870, Covington had a reported population of approximately 1,121. By the turn of the century, the city nearly doubled in population to 2,062. By 1950, the city increased its population to 5,192. In 1955, the movie, “A Man Called Peter,” was filmed in Covington, the first of what would become many productions for the city. More than 20 years later, television series “The Dukes of Hazzard” produced its first five episodes in the Newton County town, and, from there, the city of Covington quickly became the “Hollywood of the South.” Home to nearly 100 major television and movie productions today, Covington is also the site of what is soon to be one of the largest film studios in
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