Covington, Kentucky is bound to the north by the Ohio River that flows above the city and to the east, and its confluence into the Licking River flows south. Tucked into that right angle is the Licking-Riverside Historic District, Covington’s most well-preserved historic district. Licking-Riverside comprises eight city blocks within 4th and 8th Streets, between Greenup Street to the west, and the Licking River to the east. Streets running west to east are named after the first five governors of Kentucky- Shelby, Garrard, Greenup, Scott, and Madison. This was an active community even before Covington was incorporated as a city in 1815, and remains the most well-preserved one. Most of the homes were built in the mid-1800s for the most wealthy and elite residents, including politicians, doctors, and academia. Licking-Riverside is known for its restored homes in the Italianate, Bungalow/Craftsman, various Victorian, Greek Revival, French Second Empire, Georgian Revival, and other distinct architectural styles. These large riverfront mansions were built in the early to mid-1800s. Time did not allot for me to walk the entire district and check out all the lovely homes, but there is a free guided walking tour that meets at the Covington Branch Public Library on Wednesdays at 10 am. One of the guides has also created this video of an actual tour: Some of the most notable buildings in Licking-Riverside include:

• The home of Covington’s Founding Father, Thomas Carneal. His was the first brick house in the city, built in 1815 and it had a private tunnel to the Licking River.
• Dr. William Orr’s 1846 female academy in 1846 is said to have been the first prominent structure in the district, as well as the 1894 Covington Ladies Home.
• Ulysses S. Grant’s parents lived in the district, and his father Jesse is remembered for being the community’s postman.
• Daniel Carter Beard of Sons of Boone fame, later integrated as the Boy Scouts, lived here, and you can visit his childhood home.
• The Baker-Hunt Foundation, the former Covington Art Club building, and the American Red Cross building are all unique architectural wonders.
• George Rogers Clark Park is named for the surveyor, soldier, and commanding officer known for becoming the highest-ranking military Revolutionary War leader on the northwestern from, among his other amazing feats.

That is not even the half of it! Within the Licking-Riverside Historic District there is a second, smaller historic district called the Riverside Drive Historic District. It made the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and is set apart by a concentration on Riverside Drive specifically, rather than the general area. Both districts have faced the danger of being destroyed many times over. The Great Flood of 1937 ruined so much of the town. Check out my blog about Covington’s neighbouring city of Newport, to learn more about that. The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge is celebrated for its striking appearance in the Covington and Cincinnati Skylines just as much as it is for its historical significance. During the Great Flood of 1937, this was the only bridge still accessible when others were submerged underwater. Civil Engineer John A. Roebling created this 1,075-feet long bridge in his own unique style, that later inspired the design for the Brooklyn Bridge. When it was finished and opened to the public in 1867, it was the longest bridge in the world. It was named both a National Historic Landmark and a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the volunteer-backed Covington-Cincinnati Suspension Bridge Committee (CCSBC) is dedicated to preserving it. The second largest threat to the historic district has been constant attempts by outsiders to develop and commercialize the riverfront property. In the 1960s, residents organized with the Northern Kentucky Heritage League to fend off one major project, but it has been a constant struggle since. Historic Licking Riverside Civic Association (HLRCA)  is a volunteer-supported organization founded in the 1970s, whose members aim to restore and protect the district. One of their community’s achievements is obtaining Historic Preservation Overlay Zoning that has been in place since 1988. There is so much to do and see here! Starting on Riverside Drive at Roebling Way, right at the base of the Roebling Suspension Bridge, you can find parking in the Suspension Bridge Lot. Following Riverside Drive, also called the Riverwalk, walk west to view the Dafford Murals. Robert Dafford was commissioned to paint eighteen incredible murals depicting Covington and Northern Kentucky historical events from 8,000 BC to to modern day Covington and the Roebling Bridge. The project was led by Legacy and commemorated in 2002. You can learn more about each individual mural here. Dafford has additional riverfront mural projects in New Jersey, Mississippi, and a few other Kentucky towns. Once you have made your way back to the Roebling Suspension Bridge, continue east along the Riverwalk. You can find seven different large bronze sculptures on the Licking-Riverside Riverwalk that each tell another part of Covington’s history. From Chief Little Turtle and Simon Kenton, to Mary B. Green and John A. Roebling, and other important figures- see if you can find all seven. Roebling Point is a modest cluster of shops and restaurants flanking the western side of Licking-Riverside, along Greenup Street. Parking can be difficult to find in this area, but it is a small block intended to serve its pedestrian residents who mostly bike and walk its broad streets under towering shade trees. Roebling Point Books & Coffee is the beacon of the block, situated between Lil’s Bagels, The Governor’s House Wine Bar & Italian Kitchen, Blinkers Tavern, Keystone Bar & Grill, and Smoke Justis. This area was Covington’s original business district, and is in very close proximity to Covington’s modern Central Business District, the Mutter Gottes neighbourhood, and the Mainstrasse Village. In the area for a while? Follow me across the Licking River to Newport on the Levee, or explore the next-door neighbourhoods of Mutter Gottes and Mainstrasse Village. ******************** © Copyright Fernwehtun, 2015- Current. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Fernwehtun and Fernwehtun.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.