The mission of the Foundation is to preserve the city’s culture, character and community.

Board Members

Seated, left to right, Sarada Bonnett, Paula Shows, Celeste Oelking, and Vice President Debbie McDougall. Standing from left Ex Officio – Mayor Mark R. Johnson, President  Mark W. Verret, Gary Blocker, Jose Balii, Recording Secretary Patrick Fulton, and Treasurer Lester Richoux.

  • Mayor Mark R. Johnson

  • Mark W. Verret

  • Kimmi Duncan

  • Jose Balli

  • Patrick Fulton

  • Lester Richoux

  • Sarada Bonnett

  • Paula Shows

Consulting Historian:

  • Howard Nichols

Back in 1813, when John Wharton Collins founded the City of Covington as the Town of Wharton, he laid the town out in its unique pattern of squares within squares that were accessed by alleyways. He named the town center the Division of St. John which is now known as our historic district. This “new” city was formally incorporated in 1816 by the state legislature and after all of the founder’s efforts, they renamed the city, Covington. Not only did the state legislature rename the city, but there are also conflicting stories about how the city actually came to be named Covington.

One theory is that our city was named in honor of General Leonard Covington, a hero of the War of 1812. There is, however, an interesting theory that the
city was actually named in honor of the bluegrass whiskey made in Covington, Kentucky which was apparently enjoyed by the local officials. Regardless of which story you tend to believe, there is no question that the City of Covington has thrived in its over 200 years of distinction. And, out of that bicentennial celebration in 2013, the CHF was established in an effort to preserve the city’s culture, character, and community.

A Message from the President

Covington has been blessed with a tremendous amount of resources starting first with its resilient residents. With the ever-increasing amount of growth, it is imperative to have a clear vision towards the future while preserving the very rich cultural and historical past. As we preserve our beloved culture and history, we continue to provide opportunities for learning, reflecting, and celebrating the charm and character of our city. Today, our mission is to continue the celebration of the culture, character, and community of Covington.

This year, I am pleased to announce an inaugural signature event, Farm to Table. It will be a memorable night as we enjoy the exploration of a true locally resourced dinner with interesting libations on April 3. The Covington Antiques and Uniques Festival will take place on April 23 and 24th, and we encourage everyone to come out and support our vendors along with the Covington Heritage Foundation. On May 30, we will celebrate our Veterans with a Memorial Day celebration at Bogue Falaya Hall. Please join us as we celebrate, honor, and remember. We will have our Characters of Covington event in the summer, followed by a renewal of our Whisperings event, a Covington Cemetery living history tour on October 30. And, of course, we will have our History and Holly home tour on December 4, 2022. We have much to be thankful for, and I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events.