In April of 1950, a brief history of the Covington area was published in the St. Tammany Farmer newspaper. It went as follows:
"In order for one to get a proper insight into the early history of Covington, it is necessary to pause a moment and observe the mad scramble that several of the European nations were having for possesions in this country.
"The French, who were recognized as the first to reach these shores, LaSalle having landed at the mouth of the Mississippi in 1681, retained control of this territory until 1763, when the British captured Baton Rouge. The British flag was the recognized standard until 1779, when the Spanish gained control, and the Spanish flag waved over this section of Louisiana.
"The French in 1800 again obtained this territory, but did not take possession of same until 1803. A few days later, Napoleon, then Emperor of France transferred the teritory to the United States by act of sale, known of "The Louisiana Purchase."
"However, the United States) did not take possession until 1810. The settlers in the meantime, fearing that the United States would not assume control formed an independent government, known as West Florida, with Baton Rouge as the capitol. This regime was short lived, as eight days later Governor Claiborne, appointed by the United States Government to administer affairs in Louisiana, arrived and took possession.
"With this background before us, we now come to St. Tammany parish and see what was happening around the section comprised between the Tchefuncta and Bogue Falaya rivers.
"In 1785 a small band of pioneers, most of whom were from the Blue Grass regions of Kentucky, founded a settlement on the banks of the Bogue Falaya river, which they called "Wharton" in honor of John Wharton Collins, one of the members of their colony. Things went along smoothly for the next few years, with no automobiles to dodge, eternal triangles to solve or stock market crashes to worry the natives, until 1812 when Wharton was made the parish seat of St. Tammany parish, it having been formerly on the East bank of the River at the present site of Claiborne.
"On March 19th, 1814, John Wharton Collins, who then owned all of the land within the present corporate limits of the Town of Covington, deposited in the Clerk of Court's office, a map of St. John of Wharton, and dedicated to the public all streets, alleys, public squares, etc., as shown on said map.
"This map or survey is now known as the Division of St. John of the Town of Covington, and embraces all of the business or central part of same. There was afterwards added to this original section, the Divisions of Spring, Summer, Autumn, Wayside and other small Divisions, the whole constituting what is known as "Old Covington."
"It was not until 1888, that the Covington & St. Tammany Land & Improvement Company acquired from Judge James Thompson a virgin tract of timber land North of Jefferson Avenue, and lying between the Holmesville Road on the East and the Tchefuncta river on the West. This tract of land, it platted and laid out as "New Covington," at that time opening up the Streets and Avenues as they exist today.
"This topographical Division of the Town has not changed up to the present day. In 1816 the Legislature changed the name from "Wharton" to "Covington" and in 1832 Covington was by an Act of the Legisulature classified as a Town, and a Charter as such issued to it.
"During the early years of its existence, in fact, up the time of the Civil War, Covington was entirely dependent upon water ways for transportation and movement of freight, however, it was this fact that contributed largely to the early growth and progress of the Town. Until the advent of roads all cotton, navel stores, and other goods from as North as Hattiesburg were brought Covington by ox team, to be shipped by boat to New Orleans, the Gulf Coast or other points.
"It was not until the I. C. Railroad was opened up through Mississippi that this extensive trade through Covington was discontinued.
"As an illustration of the importance of Covington as a port during this period, one instance is known where a grand piano was shipped from England to New Orleans, then to Covington by boat, where it was here loaded on an ox team and hauled to McComb, Missisippi. "
