Your tour starts at:
Kenton County Public Library
502 Scott Blvd.
Covington, KY 41011
859.962.4060

Welcome to the interactive map of Covington. Explore all the fascinating locations that Covington has to offer.

Interactive Map Instructions:

  1. Select a tour category above.
  2. Select a dot on the map on the tour route or select the name of a location on the left to learn more.
  3. Explore the audio tour segments below for each of the locations.
  4. Click the print driving directions button on the left to print out directions to take the tour.

Location:

Riverside Drive

GPS Coordinates:

39.091526, -84.504252
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Riverwalk Statue Tour

The Riverwalk Statue Tour is comprised of seven life-like bronze statues of historical figures. Chief Little Turtle led a confederation of Miami, Delaware, and Shawnee. Simon Kenton was an early explorer. John James Audubon spent time here drawing and painting. Brought to America as an infant by slave traders, James Bradley earned enough money to purchase his freedom and took part in the Lane Seminary debates on slavery. Daniel Carter Beard founded the Boy Scouts in 1910. Captain Mary B. Greene was one of the few women to become a licensed river pilot and boat master. John A. Roebling, best known as the architect of the Brooklyn Bridge, also designed the Roebling Suspension Bridge to connect Kentucky and Ohio. This site is on the Arts and Culture Tour and Historic Tour. Open to the public

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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:

Floodwall

GPS Coordinates:

39.090802, -84.509967
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Roebling Murals

Buffalo are splashing across the Ohio River! At least they did when this area was still a part of the western frontier of America. The buffalo that can be seen today are part of one of the many scenes depicted on the Floodwall Murals along the riverfront. Led by artist Robert Dafford, a team of artists created a magnificent illustration of the history of Covington. Depicting a variety of scenes from the meeting of General George Rogers Clark, Simon Kenton, and Daniel Boone on the mouth of the Licking River to Jacob Price, a local African American leader of the late 1800s, the murals span hundreds of feet along the floodwall and create a spectacular visual effect. This site is on the Arts and Culture Tour and Historic Tour. 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:

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:

502 Scott Blvd.

GPS Coordinates:

39.085982, -84.50892
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Matt Langford's Lincoln Statue

Matt Langford was born in Covington and now lives in Union, Kentucky. He has created two bronze statues that grace the streets of Covington. Created in 2004 for the Art of Discovery program, his Abraham Lincoln statue stands in front of the Kenton County Library. Depicting a young Lincoln, at its base the bronze statue bears a quote that reads: "I shall prepare myself. Someday my chance will come." The statue of Frank Duveneck, commissioned by philanthropists Oakley and Eva Farris, stands in the Covington Arts District in a small triangular-shaped garden between Seventh, Washington and Pike Streets. It shows Duveneck, one of Covington's most celebrated artists, holding a portrait of his wife, Elizabeth. This site is on the Arts and Culture Tour and Historic Tour. Open to the public

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Location:

Corner of 7th St., Washington St. & Pike St.

GPS Coordinates:

39.083199,-84.511689
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Matt Langford's Duveneck Statue

Matt Langford was born in Covington and now lives in Union, Kentucky. He has created two bronze statues that grace the streets of Covington. Created in 2004 for the Art of Discovery program, his Abraham Lincoln statue stands in front of the Kenton County Library. Depicting a young Lincoln, at its base the bronze statue bears a quote that reads: "I shall prepare myself. Someday my chance will come." The statue of Frank Duveneck, commissioned by philanthropists Oakley and Eva Farris, stands in the Covington Arts District in a small triangular-shaped garden between Seventh, Washington and Pike Streets. It shows Duveneck, one of Covington's most celebrated artists, holding a portrait of his wife, Elizabeth. This site is on the Arts and Culture 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:

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:

613 Madison Ave.

GPS Coordinates:

39.08429, -84.510567

Website:

www.motchjewelers.com
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Motch Jewelers

Michael C. Motch, an immigrant from France, opened his first jewelry store in Covington in 1857, but it is the 1871 building, designed by James W. McLaughlin, that remains an architectural gem. The front of the store has two immense glass windows surrounded by silver plated frames. The floor is alternative blocks of white and black marble. Two marble top counters run the entire length of the room, on which rest silver mounted show cases, containing watches and jewelry of exquisite workmanship and a dazzling display of rare gems. As you drive by the store you will notice on the sidewalk the E. Howard and Co. cast iron clock. This site is on the Historic Tour. Open to the public • Hours: Tues-Thurs 10-5, Sat 10-3

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Location:

638 Madison Ave.

GPS Coordinates:

39.083707, -84.509881
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City Hall - Coppin's Building

When you visit City Hall in Covington, you get a glimpse into Covington's history and into the special character of Covington. Like many other buildings in Covington, the Coppin's Building, as it is known locally, has had a long life. In 1909 it was a fashionable department store, and was even touted at one time as the largest department store in the state. It continued to be one of the most popular stores in Covington until it closed in 1977. This site is on the Historic Tour. Open to the public

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Location:

730 Madison Ave.

GPS Coordinates:

39.082675, -84.509688

Website:

www.madisontheateronline.com
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Madison Theater

If you are in the mood for live entertainment, check the listings for the Madison Theater. Originally the Covington Lyric, the Madison Theater opened on September 9, 1912. Initially The Lyric offered daily vaudeville acts for which the tickets cost 5 cents but during the 1920s motion picture shows replaced live performers. Each week two different movies were shown and admission was 30 cents. Renamed the Madison Theater in 1942, the theater went through many changes and survived a fire. Now approaching its 100th anniversary, The Madison Theater is again a stage for live entertainment, primarily contemporary rock. This site is on the Arts & Culture Tour and Historic Tour. Open to the public

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Location:

824 Greenup St.

GPS Coordinates:

39.082075, -84.50619
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Lincoln Grant School

In the 1870s William Grant, promised Covington's African American community a school in return for their support of John Stevenson for governor. In 1880, Grant deeded land to the Covington Board of Education for Grant High School and Lincoln Elementary. In 1930, the new Lincoln Grant School combined both schools. Through the 1960s, the school provided quality education. Members of the faculty held advanced degrees from national universities. Parents from as far away as Indiana sent their children to attend Lincoln Grant. In the 1960s and 70s, integration spelled the end of Lincoln Grant as a school. Now called the Northern Kentucky Community Center, the Lincoln Grant School played a pivotal role in the history of Covington. This site is on the Historic Tour. Not open to the public

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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:

1421 Holman Ave.

GPS Coordinates:

39.07388, -84.513121
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Linden Grove Cemetery

Linden Grove Cemetery, dedicated in 1843, is the largest green space in the inner city of Covington, and many residents enjoy strolling through the historic cemetery. It is the resting place of Civil War soldiers, Confederate and Union, and the Veterans Monument honors the fallen on both sides of the War Between the States. The Grand Army of the Republic, a group of Union veterans, also erected a monument in the cemetery. Both monuments and the cemetery itself are on the National Register of Historic Places. This site is on the Faith Tour and Historic Tour. Open to the public

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Location:

1600 Montague Rd.

GPS Coordinates:

39.080926, -84.538913

Website:

www.bcmuseum.org
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Behringer-Crawford Museum

The mission of the Behringer-Crawford Museum is to preserve the history of Northern Kentucky through the lens of transportation, and it does a magnificent job, from the vintage streetcar on the first level to the airport exhibit on the fourth. In addition to the permanent exhibits, there are changing exhibits and programs for patrons of all ages. Before the Behringer-Crawford Museum became a history of transportation museum, it was a museum of natural curiosities, which are still on exhibit. Visitors love the two-headed calf and the shrunken head! This site is on the Historic Tour, Arts and Culture Tour and Unexpected Covington Tour. Open to the public • Hours: Tues-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5

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Location:

315 W. Southern Ave.

GPS Coordinates:

39.047771, -84.507027
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Railway Museum of Greater Cincinnati

Founded in 1975, The Railway Museum of Greater Cincinnati preserves the engines, railcars and other artifacts associated with the region's railroading history. Currently encompassing a collection of eighty major pieces, including vintage Pullman cars, engines, baggage carts and signals, the museum is primarily an outdoor experience. A permanent museum is being built in one of the rail cars in which to display the museum's smaller artifact collection, especially those that capture the stories of the people whose lives revolved around the rail industry. The museum is an all-volunteer organization, and welcomes visitors on Wednesdays and Saturdays to take a self-guided walking tour between 10 am and 4 pm. This site is on the Historic Tour. Open to the public • Hours: Wed & Sat 10-4

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Location:

2500 Madison Ave.

GPS Coordinates:

39.061468, -84.502521
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Holmes High School

Holmes High School at Levassor Park is unusual. To begin with, it has a 13-acre campus with five buildings, including an art gallery that exhibits - and sells - the art of local and regional artists. They have changing exhibits and are part of Covington's Friday Gallery Hop. The campus used to be part of the estate of Daniel Henry Holmes, a wealthy merchant who built a 32-room red brick English-Gothic mansion known as "the castle" on the grounds in 1867. After Holmes' death, the family sold the estate to the Covington Board of Education. In 1932, the mansion was razed to make room for a new high school building. This site is on the Historic Tour. Not open to the public

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