Covington, Kentucky | ||
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City | ||
Downtown Covington skyline
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Location in Kenton County, Kentucky |
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Coordinates: 39°3′54″N 84°30′35″W / 39.06500°N 84.50972°WCoordinates: 39°3′54″N 84°30′35″W / 39.06500°N 84.50972°W | ||
Country | United States | |
State | Kentucky | |
County | Kenton | |
Founded | 1815 | |
Government | ||
• Type | Commission-City Manager | |
• Mayor | Kyle Knapp | |
Area | ||
• Total | 13.7 sq mi (35.4 km2) | |
• Land | 13.1 sq mi (34.0 km2) | |
• Water | 0.5 sq mi (1.4 km2) | |
Elevation | 509 ft (155 m) | |
Population (2010) | ||
• Total | 40,640 | |
• Density | 2,966.4/sq mi (1,148.0/km2) | |
Time zone | EST (UTC-5) | |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | |
ZIP code | 41011-41012, 41014-41019 | |
Area code(s) | 859 | |
FIPS code | 21-17848 | |
GNIS feature ID | 0490167 | |
Website | covingtonky.gov |
Covington is a city in Kenton County, Kentucky. It is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Licking rivers. Cincinnati, Ohio, lies to its north across the Ohio and Newport, Kentucky, to its east across the Licking. Part of the Cincinnati–Northern Kentucky metropolitan area, Covington had a population of 40,640 at the time of the 2010 U.S. census, making it the 5th-most-populous city in Kentucky. It is one of its county's two seats, along with Independence.
In 1814 when John Gano, Richard Gano, and Thomas Carneal purchased The Point, 150 acres (0.6 km2) of land on the west side of the Licking River at its confluence with the Ohio, from Thomas Kennedy for $50,000 and founded the European-American town of Covington. The city was formally incorporated by the Kentucky General Assembly a year later.
Stewart Iron Works was established in 1862 and became the largest iron fence maker in the world. Covington experienced growth during most of the 19th century, only to decline during the Great Depression and the middle 20th century. The city has seen some redevelopment during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Long the most populous city in Kenton County,
In 1913, city leaders tried to acquire a baseball franchise in the Class D Blue Grass League; the Cincinnati Reds, whose park was just five miles away across the Ohio River, decided against the move. Instead (after several larger cities backed out), Covington was awarded a team in the new "outlaw" circuit, the Federal League.