Covington, LA on New Orleans' North Shore

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Covington, the Three Rivers City

Covington, LA is located on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, across the Causeway Bridge from New Orleans making it the perfect place to stay when visiting the Big Easy.

It is the parish seat of St. Tammany Parish and it's history is old, dating back to the early 1800's. It was a major cotton trading stop for the paddle wheel boats and many a wealthy planter stayed at the Southern Hotel.

Today the beauty and solitude of the surrounding native areas attract nature lovers and artists. Many artist colonies have become established in and near Covington. The old Columbia Street Landing area by the Bogue Falaya River is filled with art galleries and antique shops. Covington and St. Tammany Parish provide the quiet solitude of the country while still being only half an hours drive from the city of New Orleans.

Covington is located on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, where three rivers, the Bogue Falaya, the Abita and the Tchefuncte, intersect so "Three Rivers" is the name of many attractions and landmarks in and around Covington.

Southern Hotel Building 

The Courthouse and Tugy's

Even now that the fourth courthouse has been constructed, very few people realize that the structure housing the first one, built in 1818, still stands in the Claiborne Hill area, which was the parish seat. The walls of the original building are 18 inches thick. Located on the grounds is a cottage which, is believed to, predate the courthouse.
DSCN0024
The Courthouse Annex on Boston Street was the grand old Southern Hotel, built in 1907. Covington Special Projects Coordinator Jan Roberts hopes to see it become an inn when the new courthouse opens. Former Mayor Villere notes that Tugy's, first opened in the hotel by Mr. Tugenhaft, is probably the only bar in a courthouse building in the United States! Only in Louisiana!



reference: Covington: Living History & Covington's Founding Families by Ann Gilbert

H.J. Smith's Son General Store and Museum 

DSCN00101H.J. Smith's Son General Store & Museum
308 N. Columbia St.
Covington, LA 70433
985-892-0460


The museum displays items from 1870-early 1900s.

smith musem1Walk up the wooden steps at H. J. Smith's Sons Hardware store on Columbia Street in Covington and meet the fifth generation of Smiths to work in the business, founded in 1875.

In his museum next to the hardware store, "Red" Smith will show you 1910 receipts for wagon wheels and farm implements delivered by schooners, which docked at the foot of Columbia Street. The displayed items really let you see how the people of Covington worked and played from the turn of the century to the 1960's.



old covington


(reference Covington: Living History & Covington's Founding Families by Ann Gilbert)

Facts About the Tchefuncte River on Wiki 

The Tchefuncte River (chuh-FUNK-tuh) drains into Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana in the United States. It is about long.

In the 19th century it was an important commercial waterway, where building materials and other products of the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain were loaded to be shipped across the Lake to New Orleans.

Lake Ramsey Preserve 

If you are an amateur naturalist or a nature photographer, then you must visit Lake Ramsey Preserve in the spring or the fall. Many rare wildflowers are growing on this preserve. Here are a few of the many gorgeous native plants and wildflowers that you will see while walking the well marked trails.

Location:
Horse Branch Road
Covington, LA 70435
985-809-1414
The Nature Conservency Website

Directions: Take Exit 63 (US Highway 190) north for 5 miles. Turn west on Highway 190 north of Covington at the intersection with Highway 25. Go west on Highway 190 for 2 miles to Penn Mill Road (1/2 mile west of Covington High School) and turn north. Go 2 miles to the Horse Branch Creek Trailhead parking lot.

Size: Approximately 414 acres


How to Prepare for Your Visit
Open during daylight hours. A trail system allows visitors to view this unique habitat. A trailhead parking lot is located north of Covington on Horse Branch Road. The preserve is suitable for children that are accompanied by an adult. There are no restroom facilities available on site.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
This site was selected by The Nature Conservancy in order to preserve the last remaining pine savanna habitats in the Florida Parishes. These savannas are known for their diversity, including several carnivorous plants, numerous rare plant species and a spectacular variety of orchids.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana is restoring the savanna by removing certain flora with an aggressive prescribed burning program and planting longleaf pine. This site is being cooperatively managed with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, which owns the adjacent 796-acre Lake Ramsey Wildlife Management Area.

Covington Flora and Fauna at Zazzle 

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Gardening in St. Tammany 

Facts About Covington, LA from Wiki 

Covington is a city in and the parish seat of St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,483 at the 2000 census. It is located at a fork of the Bogue Falaya and the Tchefuncte River.

Covington is part of the New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Three Rivers Art Festival 

Sunday, Nov 16, 2008
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
at Columbia Street, Covington, LA


A FREE fine arts festival with activities for the entire family showcasing artists from all over the country. Our event includes a children's discovery area, live music, local cuisine, student art exhibition and 5K Race.

With 160 artists from more than 22 states. A juried show of original works. Tent after colorful tent ranged along the streets of historic downtown Covington, Louisiana. Arts and crafts demonstrations. Music. Food. And lots of activities just for kids.

It's the Covington Three Rivers Art Festival. Where the fun starts with art and goes on for two wonderful days. November 15th & 16th, 2008, 10am-5pm. Free admission!

St. Joseph Abbey 

stjoe-pond-img_8311 St Joseph Abbey & Seminary Clg
75376 River Rd
Covington, LA 70435-7622
(985) 892-1800


Saint Joseph Abbey is located on a 1,200-acre site four miles north of Covington, La. At the Christian Life Center, the monks extend their hospitality to groups who seek the peace and solitude of a monastic setting to develop their spirituality. The surrounding grounds and pine forests offer each retreat participant opportunities for quiet and reflective leisure.

abbey mural1Retreats have been hosted at the Christian Life Center for the past 40 years and now offer group league retreats for Men, Women or Married Couples, plus bookings are available for diocesan, corporate, the arts, as well as programs sponsored by churches of differing faiths.

One of the most-loved activities is simply touring the abbey grounds and buildings. Self-guided tours are permitted for groups of 10 or less; larger groups are asked to make reservations. One of the highlights of a tour is the artwork of Dom Gregory de Wit, a Belgian monk who painted beautiful murals on the monastery refectory's ceiling, in the church and in the dining hall in the years between 1945 and 1955. Most talked about is the spectacular mural in the dining hall of the Last Supper-a must-see on the tour.



St Josephs stjoe-holyfam-img_8303


Unfortunately, the breathtaking murals received some damage from Hurricane Katrina. They are scheduled for repair, however, and tours do still include a viewing of the artwork. A stop at the Abbey Gift Shop offers visitors a wide selection of artwork, books and devotional items.

(references: St. Joseph's Abbey and St. Joseph Abbey by Judi Russell)
Links to information about St. Joseph's Abbey and Dom Gregory de Wit:
Refectory at St. Joseph Abbey
Did you know?
Dobson Pipe Organ Builders

St Joseph Abbey in pictures 

Fr. Sam by Saint Joseph's Monastery

Fr. Sam beside the mural of St. Scholastica at St. Joseph Abbey, Covington, LA

Fr. Sam and the Abbey by Saint Joseph's Monastery

Fr. Sam posing beside the lake at St. Joseph Abbey, Covington with the Abbey Chu...

Br. Vincent at St. Joseph Abbey, Covington by Saint Joseph's Monastery

Br. Vincent beneath the mural of St. Benedict at St. Joseph Abbey, Covington, LA

Our Lady of Vladamir by Saint Joseph's Monastery

Icon of Our Lady in the Monastery Chapel

Benedict by Saint Joseph's Monastery

Icon of St. Benedict in the Monastery Chapel

Pantokrator by Saint Joseph's Monastery

Icon of Christ Pantokrator in the Monastery Chapel

jesus by jamie orillion

this is a shot of artwork in the abbey... i take no credit for this work... i ma...

Creation and the Crucified Christ by apocatastasis

Apse. Depicts Creation and the Old Testament. St. Joseph Abbey, Covington, La.

St. Mark and a violin-playing angel by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Abel by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Christ, shepherds and lambs by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La. This is above the monk's choir in the...

Abraham by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

St. Gertrude by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Fresco by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Abbey church by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Fresco by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Mary by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Abbey church by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Fresco by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Murals and columns over the Abbey church entrance by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Christ, shepherds and lambs by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La. This is above the monk's choir in the...

Array by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Abbey church by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Fresco by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Resurrection by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Jan07-2678 by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Jan07-2677 by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Saint by Monceau

St. Joseph's Abbey, outside Covington, La.

Vine Cottage 

Maria Warner, wife of J. H. Warner, who has been the resident of the property where the "Vine Cottage" is located since 1934, says that this unique and charming structure was built by a Covington lumberman in the 1920's. It is called Vine Cottage, but it was actually constructed from the heart of pine knots and branches that were left over from the original owner's logging ventures. It was designed to be an interesting entry way for pedestrians during a time when most people walked rather than rode in cars when visiting. It is located on West 21st Street in Covington. Just another beautiful part of the interesting history of Covington. It's there, you just have to slow down to appreciate it.




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Nurseries and Fruit Producers 

The Covington area abounds with wonderful truck farms and nurseries. If you like to garden and enjoy the outdoors, this is the place for you. There are many you-pick fruit producers where you can get fruit fresh off the plant.

Bogue Falaya River Facts on Wiki 

The Bogue Falaya, also known as the Bogue Falaya River, is a river, about 23 miles (37 km) long, in southeastern Louisiana in the United States.Columbia Gazetteer of North America entry It is a tributary of the Tchefuncte River, which flows to Lake Pontchartrain. The river flows through an area of mixed pine-hardwood and bottomland hardwood forests on the Gulf Coastal Plain.Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (2002). State of Louisiana Water Quality Management Plan: [http://www.deq.louisiana.gov/portal/Portals/0/planning/305b/2002/pdf/305b-AppenidixB.pdf Appendix B: Descriptions of Louisiana's Natural and Scenic Rivers (PDF)]

The Bogue Falaya rises in southwestern Washington Parish and flows generally south-southeastwardly through western St. Tammany Parish, past Covington, where it collects the Abita River.DeLorme (2003). Louisiana Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-286-2 It joins the Tchefuncte River about 10 miles (16 km) upstream of that river's mouth at Lake Pontchartrain.

The name is derived from the Choctaw words bogu, ?river,? and falaya, "long." No copyright in the United States.

A portion of the Bogue Falaya in St. Tammany Parish has been designated as a "Natural and Scenic River" by the state government of Louisiana.

Global Wildlife Center 

giraffes_Josie-626389 Hwy. 40
Folsom, LA 70437
985-796-3585

Global Wildlife Website

Fun for the whole family and educational, too. Be sure to bring your camera as you get ready for a wild adventure at the largest totally free-roaming wildlife preserve in the country! The Global Wildlife Center in Folsom, Louisiana is home to over 3,000 exotic, endangered, and threatened animals from all over the world.

antelope eating at Global WildlifeBoth children and adults will enjoy the 1 1/2 hour guided Safari Wagon tour over 900 acres of beautiful Louisiana countryside complete with 12 ponds and a lake. During the tour you'll come face to face with bison, giraffe, zebra, camels, eland, and much more!

Directions: Global Wildlife Center is located off of I-12 between Hammond and Madisonville.Take I-12 to the Robert Exit #47. From the Exit, turn right on Hwy. 445. Go North for approximately 10 1/2 miles and turn right on Hwy. 40 East. The Global Wildlife entrance is 1 1/2 miles on the left. From Covington, travel north on Hwy. 25 to the town of Folsom. Take a left on Hwy. 40 and travel West for six miles. Global Wildlife is located on the right hand side.



giraffes_2007-4 zebras and antelopes at Global Wildlife

Facts About the Abita River on Wiki 

The Abita River is a river in southeastern Louisiana in the United States. It is a tributary of the Bogue Falaya, which flows to the Tchefuncte River and then onto Lake Pontchartrain.

The Abita River rises in central St. Tammany Parish and flows generally west-southwest through central St. Tammany Parish, through Abita Springs, and empties into the Bogue Falaya on the southeast side of Covington.

The length of the Abita River, from headwaters to the mouth, has been designated as a "Natural and Scenic River" by the state government of Louisiana.US Army Corps of Engineers Louisiana Natural & Scenic Rivers System

Picture Book of St. Tammany Parish 

Weather in Covington, LA 

Current weather conditions in Covington, LA (70433)

Local Pollen Reports

89°F (Feels like 99°F)

Last update: 7/14/09 11:53 AM CDT

Humidity: 65%
Visibility: 10.0 mi
Dew Point: 76°F
UV Index: 10 (Lawn and Garden Weather)
Barometer: 30.03in steady
Moon: Rush Hour Traffic
Wind: 6mph From: Airport Conditions
powered by weather.com

Today


Fair
High: 90°F
Low: 76°F
Sunrise: 6:08 AM
Sunset: 8:04 PM

Wednesday
Jul 15 


Scattered T-Storms
High: 90°F
Low: 75°F
Sunrise: 6:08 AM
Sunset: 8:04 PM

Thursday
Jul 16 


Scattered T-Storms
High: 90°F
Low: 75°F
Sunrise: 6:09 AM
Sunset: 8:04 PM

Friday
Jul 17 


Scattered T-Storms
High: 84°F
Low: 73°F
Sunrise: 6:10 AM
Sunset: 8:03 PM

Recipe Book 

MORE TASTIN' GOOD RECIPES

Amazon Price: (as of 07/14/2009)Buy Now

Restaurants Rated by Zagat 

powered by Zagat Survey

Zagat-Rated Restaurants in Covington, LA, 70433

Copeland's

680 N. Hwy. 190, Covington, LA

American

American (Regional)

Cajun

Creole

Etoile

407 N. Columbia St., Covington, LA

American

American (New)

European

French

French (Bistro)

New Orleans Food & Spirits

208 Lee Ln., Covington, LA

American

American (Regional)

Cajun

Seafood

Dakota, The

629 N. Hwy. 190, Covington, LA

American

American (New)

American (Regional)

Contemporary Louisiana

Coffee Rani

234A Lee Ln., Covington, LA

Coffeeshop / Diner

Dessert

Specialties

Vegetarian

More Food in Covington, LA 

Here's what Yelpers have to say about Food in 70433

Abita Brewery Visitor's Center (Covington)  
"I went to the Abita brew pub twice, and enjoyed it both times. It's nothing totally over-the-top amazing, but it's a really good time given the..." more
Zoe's Bakery (Covington)  
"Every time I'm on the North Shore I have to stop at Zoe's. Their desserts are so good. I mean, there is no way for me to pick a favorite because they are..." more
CC's Community Coffee House (Covington)  
"This location has closed. Now the only CCs in Covington is inside St. Tammany Parish Hospital. They do have valet parking but you can just pull into the..." more
Abita Brewing Co Llc (Covington)  
"Mad decent local brew. We picked up a 6'er in Shreveport and were a lot more impressed than the fake microbrew in nearby Texas that seems to be the scream..." more
Honeybaked Ham Company (Covington)  
"The cafe sandwiches are awesome. Then again has anyone had a bad honeybaked ham. I had a friend who ran this place and was very generous with free..." more
powered by Yelp

Recreation in Covington, LA 

Powered by Discover Our Town
Covington Country Club
Non-members of Covington Country Club can play unlimited golf. This is an 18 hole, par 71 golf cours...
Compass Rose
The people at Compass Rose are passionate about the water sports of kayaking and scuba. They have ka...
South Coast Kayaks
The mission at SouthCoast Kayaks is to introduce you (children & adults) to the exciting world of se...
Folsom Equestrian Center
Folsom Equestrian Center offers dressage lessons, part-time jumping instruction and full-care board....
Sunflower Farm & Ranch
Horse rentals for pleasure trail riding on 100 acres of wooded trails and pasture. Farm hours of ope...
Tammany Trace
In the early days, the railroad was the lifeblood of St. Tammany Parish. Today, this spur is an extr...
Fontainbleau State Park
A live oak alley becomes the entrance to the 2,700 acre state park on Lake Ponchartrain. The ruins o...
Lake Ramsay Preserve
Open during daylight hours. A trail system allows visitors to view this unique habitat. A trailhead...

Many Outdoor Activities 

The Northshore has many beautiful water ways for those who like to boat. There are also hiking trails and forests galore.

Driving directions 

Latest news about Covington, LA 

Girl Runs Down Covington Street, Shooting at Man
13th Street in Covington, where police say a woman opened fire on a man, hitting him three times. (WKRC-TV) Police in Covington say a man was shot there by ...
2 Injured In Covington-Area Cycle Crash
MIAMI COUNTY, Ohio -- Miami County deputies said a car pulled into the path of a motorcycle Monday evening ejecting a couple from the cycle onto the ...
Covington woman killed after walking into truck's path
by The Times-Picayune A Covington woman died when she stepped into the path of an oncoming pickup truck in St. Tammany Parish late Saturday night, ...

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Evelyn_Saenz wrote...

I haven't visited New Orleans since Katrina but I'm hoping to one of these days.

Thank you for joining the best lenses about the 50 States.

ReplyPosted December 24, 2008

Margo_Arrowsmith wrote...

Nice pictures, I would love to see the vine cottage, that is amazing!

ReplyPosted November 18, 2008

ElizabethJeanAllen wrote...

I haven't tried making a Zipper lens. If I ever do, I'll use yours for a guide.
Great lens
Lizzy

ReplyPosted October 26, 2008

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Thanks for joining G Rated Lense Factory!

ReplyPosted September 24, 2008

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