Covington, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Covington, Virginia
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Main Street in Covington, Virginia
|
|||
|
|||
 |
|||
 Covington, Virginia
Location in Virginia
Covington, Virginia
Location in the United States
|
|||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | Virginia | ||
| County | None (Independent city) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 5.67 sq mi (14.69 km2) | ||
| • Land | 5.47 sq mi (14.16 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.20 sq mi (0.52 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 1,250 ft (381 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
|
|||
| • Total | 5,737 | ||
| • Density | 1,011.8/sq mi (390.54/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
24426
|
||
| Area code(s) | 540 | ||
| FIPS code | 51-19728 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1498470 | ||
Covington is a city in Virginia, USA. It's called an independent city because it's not part of a county. In 2020, about 5,737 people lived there. This makes it one of the smallest cities in Virginia.
Covington is surrounded by Alleghany County. It's also the main town, or county seat, for that county. The city is located where the Jackson River and Dunlap Creek meet.
Contents
History of Covington
Covington got its name from General Leonard Covington. He was a hero from the War of 1812. He was also a friend of two important US presidents, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.
Growth and Change
Covington grew a lot because of new industries. Its population jumped from 704 people in 1890 to 5,632 in 1920.
Nearby, the town of Clifton Forge also grew. It became a major railroad hub in 1837. Clifton Forge was named after an iron factory. It became a city in 1884. However, when the railroad shops closed in the late 1980s, Clifton Forge's population dropped. In 2001, it changed back from a city to a town.
Falling Spring Waterfall
A beautiful place near Covington is Falling Spring. It's a 200-foot tall waterfall that drops into a deep gorge. Thomas Jefferson wrote about its beauty in his book, Notes on Virginia. There's also a plaque nearby about Mad Ann Bailey. She was a brave frontier woman known for her skills in shooting and horse riding.
Geography and Climate
Covington covers about 5.7 square miles. Most of this area, about 5.5 square miles, is land. The rest, about 0.2 square miles, is water. The city is built on both sides of the Jackson River.
Weather in Covington
Covington has a climate with hot, humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.
| Climate data for Covington Filter Plant, Virginia (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1960–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) |
79 (26) |
87 (31) |
93 (34) |
99 (37) |
100 (38) |
102 (39) |
102 (39) |
97 (36) |
93 (34) |
85 (29) |
80 (27) |
102 (39) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 41.5 (5.3) |
45.5 (7.5) |
54.2 (12.3) |
66.0 (18.9) |
73.9 (23.3) |
80.5 (26.9) |
84.0 (28.9) |
82.6 (28.1) |
76.8 (24.9) |
67.1 (19.5) |
55.3 (12.9) |
45.3 (7.4) |
64.4 (18.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 32.0 (0.0) |
34.8 (1.6) |
42.1 (5.6) |
52.3 (11.3) |
61.0 (16.1) |
68.6 (20.3) |
72.5 (22.5) |
71.2 (21.8) |
65.0 (18.3) |
54.4 (12.4) |
43.1 (6.2) |
35.7 (2.1) |
52.7 (11.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 22.5 (−5.3) |
24.1 (−4.4) |
30.1 (−1.1) |
38.7 (3.7) |
48.2 (9.0) |
56.7 (13.7) |
60.9 (16.1) |
59.9 (15.5) |
53.3 (11.8) |
41.6 (5.3) |
30.8 (−0.7) |
26.2 (−3.2) |
41.1 (5.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −19 (−28) |
−5 (−21) |
1 (−17) |
15 (−9) |
26 (−3) |
34 (1) |
41 (5) |
39 (4) |
28 (−2) |
14 (−10) |
9 (−13) |
−10 (−23) |
−19 (−28) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 2.60 (66) |
2.43 (62) |
3.36 (85) |
3.63 (92) |
4.30 (109) |
4.24 (108) |
3.98 (101) |
3.24 (82) |
3.49 (89) |
2.51 (64) |
2.75 (70) |
2.94 (75) |
39.47 (1,003) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.5 (6.4) |
3.3 (8.4) |
1.6 (4.1) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
2.5 (6.4) |
10.1 (26) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.2 | 8.5 | 11.3 | 11.8 | 13.8 | 11.8 | 12.1 | 11.2 | 8.2 | 8.4 | 8.5 | 10.3 | 125.1 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 3.7 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population Changes
Covington's population has changed over the years. Here's how it has grown and shrunk:
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 436 | — | |
| 1890 | 704 | 61.5% | |
| 1900 | 2,950 | 319.0% | |
| 1910 | 4,234 | 43.5% | |
| 1920 | 5,623 | 32.8% | |
| 1930 | 6,538 | 16.3% | |
| 1940 | 6,300 | −3.6% | |
| 1950 | 5,860 | −7.0% | |
| 1960 | 11,062 | 88.8% | |
| 1970 | 10,060 | −9.1% | |
| 1980 | 9,063 | −9.9% | |
| 1990 | 6,991 | −22.9% | |
| 2000 | 6,303 | −9.8% | |
| 2010 | 5,961 | −5.4% | |
| 2020 | 5,737 | −3.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 |
|||
Who Lives in Covington?
The 2020 census shows the different groups of people living in Covington. Most residents are White. There's also a significant Black or African American population. The city is home to people from many different backgrounds.
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 4,955 | 4,541 | 83.12% | 79.15% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 741 | 716 | 12.43% | 12.48% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 18 | 12 | 0.30% | 0.21% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 33 | 32 | 0.55% | 0.56% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 5 | 0.00% | 0.09% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 8 | 11 | 0.13% | 0.19% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 114 | 241 | 1.91% | 4.20% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 92 | 179 | 1.54% | 3.12% |
| Total | 5,961 | 5,737 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
Economy and Jobs
A big part of Covington's economy comes from Westrock. This company has been in the city since 1899. It employs about 1300 people, mostly from Covington and Alleghany County. Westrock makes paper and paperboard for packaging. It's one of the largest factories of its kind on the East Coast.
Covington and Alleghany County are known for affordable housing. They are also close to popular places like The Homestead and The Greenbrier. These places are about a 45-minute drive away.
Sports Teams
Covington has a baseball team called the Covington Lumberjacks. They play in the Valley Baseball League at Casey Field. In the past, Covington also had other baseball teams like the Covington Astros and Covington Red Sox.
Education in Covington
Covington used to have several schools. These included Covington High School, Jeter-Watson Middle School, and Edgemont Primary. There was also a special school for talented students, the Jackson River Governor's School. High school students could also go to the Jackson River Technical Center. For college, there was Dabney S. Lancaster Community College.
New School System
In 2020, the schools in Alleghany County and Covington City decided to combine. This happened because fewer students were attending. The new school system is now called Alleghany Highlands Public Schools. The two high schools merged to create a new Alleghany High School. This new school kept Covington's "Cougar" nickname starting in 2023. The old Covington High School building is now a middle school.
Local Media
Covington has two local newspapers: The Virginian Review and The Recorder. You can also listen to two radio stations. WKEY broadcasts on 103.5 FM and 1340 AM. WJVR broadcasts on 101.9 FM and 1230 AM in nearby Clifton Forge.
City Services
Getting Around
Covington is served by Interstate 64 (which goes east-west) and Route 220 (which goes north-south). This means it's easy to get to by car or truck. If you want to travel by train, there's an Amtrak station in Clifton Forge, about 12 miles away.
Fire and Rescue
The Covington Fire Department protects the city from fires. It started on March 4, 1902. The Covington Rescue Squad provides emergency medical help. Both the fire department and rescue squad are run by volunteers. The rescue squad was formed in 1933. It's the third oldest volunteer rescue squad in Virginia!
Images for kids
-
Alleghany General District Court
-
War memorials for soldiers from Alleghany County who died in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War
-
Memorial to Confederate soldiers
Notable People from Covington
- Addie Elizabeth Davis: The first woman to become a Southern Baptist pastor.
- Bob Humphreys: A baseball pitcher.
- Jim Lemon: Born in Covington, he was a baseball player, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball.
- Edgar P. Rucker: A lawyer and politician.
- William R. Terrill: A soldier and general in the United States Army. He was killed during the American Civil War at the Battle of Perryville.
See also
In Spanish: Covington (Virginia) para niños
