Covington is a city in the state of Georgia and the seat of Newton County, and is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Covington Historic District and the North Covington Historic District within the city are both 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 districts have an ordinance to preserve their character, regulating changes proposed for properties, and special permits may be required.
The Covington Mill Village is also a vital part of local history. The Starrsville Historic District, site of the historic settlement of Starrsville, is in the exurban area around Covington. The Newton County Courthouse, brick store, and Salem campground are separately NRHP-listed.
Covington is located in north central Georgia, in the eastern part of Metro Atlanta. Interstate 20 runs to the north of the city, with access from exits 90, 92, and 93. Via I-20, downtown Atlanta is 35 mi (56 km) west, and Augusta is 112 mi (180 km) east. U.S. Route 278 also runs through the city, leading east 16 mi (26 km) to Rutledge and northwest 11 mi (18 km) to Conyers, concurrent with I-20. Other highways that run through the city include Georgia State Routes 36, 81, and 142.
Historic downtown Covington is known as a film town, home to locations from “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “In the Heat of the Night” and, most recently, “The Vampire Diaries” and “Sweet Magnolias,” along with 140 other films. The thriving downtown has locally owned boutiques, antique stores and restaurants. Take a trolley tour with Main Street Trolleys to see filming locations that represented Mystic Falls, Virginia; Sparta, Mississippi; Hazzard County, Georgia; and Serenity, S.C.; right in Covington. Hear stories and get exclusive views of some of the most iconic places to appear in Georgia films.
You don’t need a guide for the Historic Home Self-Guided Tour, just a brochure from the downtown visitor’s center. It showcases the historic homes and buildings in downtown Covington. More than 30 television and film productions are honored on the Walk of Stars Self-Guided Tour, so see these stars as you explore downtown.
