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Location:

2nd St. at Roebling Way

GPS Coordinates:

39.090469, -84.509623

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Roebling Suspension Bridge

The Roebling Bridge is among Covington's most beloved landmarks. Before its construction, ferryboats provided transportation, but were often delayed by storms or low water. In 1846 the Covington and Cincinnati Bridge Company sought to construct the first permanent bridge linking Kentucky and Ohio. When John Roebling proposed a bridge with a pier in the center of the river, riverboat operators objected. Others worried that the bridge would help slaves to escape. The idea was shelved until 1856, when Roebling designed an innovative suspension bridge. The financial panic in 1857 and the Civil War further delayed construction. Completed in 1867, the bridge is a National Historic Landmark and a National Civil Engineering Landmark. This site is on the Historic Tour and Architecture Tour. Open to the public

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Location:

1 Roebling Way

GPS Coordinates:

39.089637, -84.509452

Website:

www.yourascent.com

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The Ascent

The Ascent at Roebling's Bridge is more than a luxury condominium building. It is a work of art, its swooping roofline and wedge-shaped structure making a dramatic statement against Covington's riverside skyline. Completed in 2008, it was designed by Daniel Libeskind, the award-winning architect who was named as master plan architect for the reconstruction of the World Trade Building in New York. Twenty two stories high, the concrete structure is 293 feet tall and houses 70 condominiums. It slopes outward from its base on the eastern face and has a glass curtain wall. In 2008 it won the CNBC property award for best high-rise in the Americas. This site is on the Architecture Tour. Not open to the public

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Location:

322 E. 3rd St.

GPS Coordinates:

39.089033, -84.506236

Website:

www.danbeard.com

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Daniel Carter Beard House

Built in 1821 by Dr. Guy W. Wright, the home now known as the Daniel Carter Beard House is one of the two oldest residential buildings in Covington. Daniel Carter Beard, who founded the Boy Scouts of America in 1910, spent his boyhood years living in the home. His program for young boys was based on his youthful experiences in Covington - canoeing the Licking River, camping along its banks, and learning survival skills from the Union troops who occupied the town during the Civil War. The home is still a private residence but bears markers commemorating it as a National Historic Landmark. The bronze statue of Daniel Carter Beard bears witness to the importance of "Uncle Dan" to generations of young boys. This site is on the Historic Tour and Architecture Tour. Call for a tour

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Location:

224 Wright St.

GPS Coordinates:

39.087771, -84.526446

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Spaceship House

Covington's quirkiest landmark - known locally as the Spaceship House - is perched halfway up a no-outlet street in West Covington. The privately owned building is not open to visitors, but it is worth driving by to see the 26' diameter "Futuro House." The first Futuro House was built in Finland in 1968, made entirely of reinforced plastic and light enough to be transported by helicopter. With 525 square feet of living space, the Futuro House could accommodate 8 people because of space-saving innovations like built-in furniture. The rising price of plastic in the 70s made production of the homes impractical, so only 96 Futuro houses were ever built. Covington is fortunate to have one of these sci-fi homes on a quiet residential street. This site is on the Unexpected Covington Tour and Architecture Tour. Not open to the public

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Location:

16 E. 4th St.

GPS Coordinates:

39.087471, -84.510825

Website:

www.trinitychurchcovky.com

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Trinity Episcopal Church

Founded in 1842, Trinity Episcopal Church is a vibrant community of worshippers committed to outreach work within Covington and beyond. The current building was constructed between 1857 and 1859 and is an excellent example of Gothic Revival style, showing the influence of medieval designs on Anglican church building during that period. Traditionally oriented with the entrance motifs on the west and the sanctuary on the east, the building is cruciform in shape, but with only the south transept completed. Interior appointments include a brass pulpit, a wood "eagle" lectern, and wood carvings. A Tiffany-designed window lights the transept. Three tranquil gardens, maintained by church members, provide a welcome respite to all visitors. This site is on the Faith Tour and Architecture Tour. Open to the public • Handicapped accessible

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Location:

6th St. at Philadelphia St.

GPS Coordinates:

39.08424, -84.520524

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Carroll Chimes Bell Tower

One of the best known landmarks in Covington is the Carroll Chimes Bell Tower, locally known as the Pied Piper Tower. Although Mainstrasse has a long history as a German neighborhood, the clock tower is a relatively new feature. In the 1970s, Mainstrasse was designated a National Register Historic District and local businessmen proposed building on the community's heritage to create a tourist attraction reminiscent of small villages in Germany. Many German villages have a glockenspiel, a clock tower with animated figures, in the town park, so it was decided that there should be a glockenspiel in Mainstrasse as well. Named for then governor Julian Carroll, the tower was completed in 1979, adding to the Old World charm of the neighborhood. This site is on the Architecture Tour. Open to the public

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Location:

E. 5th St. at Madison Ave.

GPS Coordinates:

39.086089, -84.510546

Website:

www.thegrandky.com

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Odd Fellows Hall

One of the most historic buildings in Covington, the Odd Fellows Hall was constructed in 1856 by an Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge and became the hub of Covington's civic and political life. During the Civil War it served as a holding center and military court for Confederate soldiers. In the 1950s, the second floor ballroom was converted into a popular rolling skate rink. In 2002, while it was being restored, a fire destroyed all but the front facade and the north and east walls. Reconstructing the building after the fire was a challenge, but it has now been fully restored and houses a high-tech software and consulting services company, an architecture firm, a real estate agency, and a reception hall known as the Grand. This site is on the Architecture Tour and Historic Tour. Open to the public

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Location:

215 Garrard St.

GPS Coordinates:

39.089587, -84.506877

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Amos Shinkle TownHouse

Built in 1854 by Amos Shinkle, this two-story Greco-Italianate townhouse has been fully restored as one of Kentucky's finest bed and breakfast inns. Shinkle began his career as a cook on a flatboat and eventually became one of Covington's wealthiest and most influential entrepreneurs and a key promoter of the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge. He was a patron of Methodist churches and founded the Covington Protestant Orphanage using his personal funds. Elegantly furnished with period antiques, the house features vaulted ceilings 16 feet high and gorgeous four-poster, queen-sized beds in each of its six rooms. Listed on the National Historic Register, the Amos Shinkle TownHouse offers a quiet, riverside retreat to its guests. This site is on the Historic Tour and Architecture Tour. Not open to the public

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Location:

116 W. 6th St.

GPS Coordinates:

39.084124, -84.512735

Website:

www.mother-of-god.org

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Mother of God Church (Mutter Gottes)

Mutter Gottes Kirche, or Mother of God Church, began as the first German speaking Catholic parish in Northern Kentucky in 1841. In 1869, Mutter Gottes commissioned an Italian Renaissance cathedral with twin clock towers, standing 200 feet above street level. Other distinguishing features of the historic church are the stone statues of Saints Peter and Paul and two mythological lions in front of the church and the five large murals inside depicting the joyful mysteries of the rosary. The murals were painted in 1890 by parish member, Johann Schmitt, whose work is in the Vatican. Mother of God is an active parish with a devout congregation. This site is on the Faith Tour and Architecture Tour. Open to the public

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Location:

620 Greenup St.

GPS Coordinates:

39.08483, -84.506941

Website:

www.bakerhunt.com

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Baker Hunt Art & Cultural Center

The grounds and main building of the Baker Hunt Art and Cultural Center were donated by former owner, Margaretta Baker-Hunt, when she endowed the Baker Hunt Foundation in 1922 to provide classes in art, religion and psychic research for the citizens of Covington. In addition to three ten-week sessions of art classes, Baker Hunt hosts a small family museum, history lectures, classes in psychic research, and art workshops. The campus is a wonderful combination of stunning Italianate architecture and lush gardens. Visitors are invited to walk around the grounds, learn about Baker-Hunt, and enjoy this marvelous greenspace in the middle of Covington. This site is on the Arts and Culture Tour, Historic Tour, Architecture Tour and Unexpected Covington Tour. Open to the public

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Location:

1028 Scott Blvd.

GPS Coordinates:

39.080021, -84.507356

Website:

www.thecarnegie.com

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Carnegie Visual & Performing Arts Center

Like 1,700 other communities in the United States, Covington benefited from a grant from Andrew Carnegie, the legendary industrialist and philanthropist who gave away much of his fortune to fund public libraries. In 1904 the City of Covington constructed the magnificent Carnegie Library and Auditorium, an example of Beaux Arts architecture with a rotunda modeled after the Library of Congress. For decades Carnegie Library and Auditorium was the center of the cultural scene, with numerous play productions, speakers, and community activities. Today the building has been reborn as the Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center and hosts a variety of exhibits, performances, classes and community projects. This site is on the Arts and Culture Tour and Architecture Tour. Open to the public • Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri 10-5, Sat 12-3, Box Office Hours: Tues-Fri 12-5

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Location:

1140 Madison Ave.

GPS Coordinates:

39.078127, -84.5084

Website:

www.covcathedral.com

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Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption

St. Mary's Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, often referred to as the Cathedral of Glass, is an architectural marvel and home to an active congregation. Twenty-six gargoyles adorn the Cathedral's high pinnacles and flying buttresses. The tympanum above the entrance was carved from Bedford limestone and depicts the Assumption of Mary into Heaven. Interior features include 82 hand-poured stained glass windows crafted in Germany, including a 24' x 67' window in the North Transept, one of the largest in the world, and two rose windows (each one 26 ft in diameter) above the organ galleries. Each year over 15,000 tourists visit the Cathedral, coming from all 50 states and 42 foreign countries in 2008. This site is on the Faith Tour, Architecture Tour and Arts and Culture Tour. Open to the public • Hours: Mon-Sat 9:30-4

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Location:

1232 Greenup St.

GPS Coordinates:

39.077244, -84.504924

Website:

www.duveneckcenter.org

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Frank Duveneck Arts and Cultural Center

The Frank Duveneck Arts and Cultural Center honors the career of world-renowned artist, Frank Duveneck. Born the son of German immigrants in 1848, Duveneck served an art apprenticeship with the Benedictine monks before attending an art academy in Germany. He opened an art school in Florence, Italy, but when his wife died, Duveneck returned to Covington. Although he became director of the prestigious Cincinnati Art Academy, he always lived in Covington. Duveneck died in 1919, but his legacy lives on through his art in such places as the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption and the Cincinnati Art Museum. Today the Frank Duveneck Center is home to a thriving art, dance, and writing studio, providing positive outlets for young and old. This site is on the Arts & Culture Tour, Historic Tour and Architecture Tour. Open to the public

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Location:

1839 Euclid Ave.

GPS Coordinates:

39.0664, -84.511533

Website:

www.staugustines.net

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St. Augustine Church

St. Augustine is a focal point and community gathering place for the Peaselburg neighborhood. Established in 1870, St. Augustine was the fifth parish in the city of Covington. Work on the new Church was begun in 1913, and the church was dedicated in 1914. Several men of the parish saved the bell from the original church, and its resonant peal still sounds the invitation to church today. St. Augustine School was dedicated in 1916 and continues to provide a quality Catholic education for children in the elementary and middle school grades. This site is on the Faith Tour and Architecture Tour. Open to the public

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