Early Courthouse Gets History Marker

 A new historical marker has been placed in front of the Claiborne Courthouse, across from the front entrance to The Chimes Restaurant in Covington. Here are some photos of the ribbon cutting dedicating it.

Click on the images to make them larger. 

Mayor Mark Johnson cuts the ribbon. 

Jack Terry points out the key historical information. 

The first courthouse for St. Tammany (and Washington Parishes) was up near Enon. Four years after it was designated, they decided to move the parish seat to Claiborne across the river from Covington. The  Claiborne Company had purchased a portion of the Kleinschmidt Spanish land grant in 1813. In exchange for the commission naming the Town of Claiborne as the parish seat, the Claiborne Company offered some of its land and agreed to build a courthouse and jail for the parish, free of charge."

"Robert Layton told them (the group seeking a parish seat) that he'd build a courthouse if they made Claiborne the parish seat," said retired Judge Steve Ellis, a parish historian. This resulted in the second St. Tammany Parish courthouse being built in the Town of Claiborne  just east and across the river from Covington. It cost around $20,000 to build. The structure was completed and opened for business on April 12, 1819.

Links of Interest

Courthouse History

Courthouses of St. Tammany Parish

Power of Pearl Lung Cancer Walk

 The Power of Pearl Lung Cancer Walk was held in downtown Covington this morning, with City Councilman Mark Verret on hand to welcome the large number of participants. 

Several lung health screening services were on hand, along with informational displays. Local healthcare organizations helped sponsor the event. Here are some photographs. 

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Photos from the 1990's

 In the early 1990's several students at Covington High School took a photography class, during which they went out and took a number of pictures of various people, places and events. Here are a few of those images from over 30 years ago. 

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Bartram Anniversary Commemorated

 The 250th Anniversary of naturalist's William Bartram's exploration of the Lake Pontchartrain area was commemorated with the installation of a historical marker at Pelican Park October 25th, 2025. 

The famed artist, explorer and naturalist passed through St. Tammany Parish in 1775 as he explored southern Louisiana and particularly the Mississippi River delta. 

William Bartram

Bartram's observations as an artist, naturalist, and accurate chronicler of diverse indigenous plant and human communities provide a rich heritage of the southeastern United States at the same time the nation was being born. 

The Bartram marker was placed in the "The Groves" section of Pelican Park, and a program was held at the Castine Center to provide several knowledgeable speakers the opportunity to share information about Bartram's many contributions to the identification and preservation of area vegetation. The programs discussed many aspects of the area environment, particularly the Longleaf Pine Range.  

Speakers included John Broderick of the William Bartram Celebrations Committee, Dr. Tammany Greer with the University of Southern Mississippi, and Charles Fryling with the LSU School of Landscape Architecture. 

The event was held in cooperation with the Bartram Trail Conference. The Bartram Trail traces the route that Bartram took across the southern United States in the mid-1770's. 

Among the organizations taking part in the Bartram Celebration were a number of exhibitors, among them the Abita Nature Center, the Baton Rouge Audubon Society, Homegrown National Park, the Louisiana Iris Conservation Initiative, Louisiana Master Naturalists, the Louisiana Native Plant Society, the Mississippi Native Plant Society, Orleans Audubon Society, Pelican Park Nature Club, the Crosby Arboretum, the Delta Chapter of the Sierra Club, the Pontchartrain Basic Chapter of Wild Ones, and the Xerces Society. 

Links of Interest:

Prevost Island

James Rumsey Invents A Steamboat

Iberville Visits Southeastern Louisiana

Three Rivers Student Art Exhibit

 One component of the Three Rivers Art Festival is the school student Youth Art Exhibit. It is now open in the lobby of the Heritage Bank building at the southern end of Columbia Street in Covington. 

Here are some photographs of the student art exhibit. Click on the images to make them larger. 

The 2025 Three Rivers Art Festival takes place along Columbia Street in Covington, from the Bogue Falaya River to the City Cemetery. It is being held Saturday and Sunday, November 15 and 16, from ten a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Over 200 artists will be participating, displaying and selling their artwork in a wide variety of art media. Tens of thousands of visitors will come to Covington and walk up and down Columbia Street, admiring the art and purchasing the special items they find along the way. 

Related stories:

https://www.covingtonthreeriversartfestival.com/

https://www.covingtonthreeriversartfestival.com/student-art/

Veterans Day 2025

  The 2025 Veterans Day ceremonies were held at the St. Tammany Justice Center Tuesday morning, November 11, 2025, with around 100 persons in attendance. A number of dignitaries gave talks about the importance of observing Veterans Day.

The event was hosted by the Robert H. Burns American Legion Post 16, and emceed by Malcolm "Mack" Maginnis Jr., post commander. Under sunny blue skies and unseasonably cool temperatures, the ceremonies included a rifle salute, the playing of taps, and the crowd singing the Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America.Covington City Councilman John Botsford was the guest speaker. 

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The audience

The POW-MIA chair, Malcolm Maginnis, Scott Cousins with the Sons of the American Legion and Taps being played by a member of the St. Tammany Veterans Honor Guard

Parish Councilman Larry Rolling, Lucy Vennen with the Post Auxiliary, and Matt Cole with the Justin McLeese Detachment of the Marine Corps League. 

Bonnie Dennis with the Daughters of the American Revolution, Pierre deMarigny Chapter of Mandeville, Lane Carson and Guest Speaker John Botsford.

A video featuring the talk given by John Botsford

Click on the "Play Triangle" to view the video 

The event began with the presentation of colors by the St. Tammany Veterans Honor Guard

Followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag led by the American Heritage Girls, who also recited the Pledge in sign language

The oldest veteran in attendance was 104-year-old James Robinson

Lane Carson, head of the St. Tammany Veterans Foundation, spoke about the Fallen Heroes Memorial at the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery in Slidell. 

Video of the Veterans Day Program

Click on the "Play Triangle" to view

Speakers listening to Lucy Vennen of the Post 16 Auxiliary

The program was opened and closed with prayer by Commander Maginnis

The Covington Fire Dept. once again brought its ladder truck and large American flag to provide a patriotic backdrop to the event. 

 Links of Interest:

Veterans Day 2022

Veterans Day 2023

Veterans Day 2020

Veterans Day Program 2021

Veterans Day 2024

Memorial Dedicated on May 24

Memories of Covington

 Visitors and former residents of Covington would often write back to the newspaper telling of the pleasant memories they have of the area. These two came in 1923 and 1912. 

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Legion Post Hosts Model Train Club

A large collection of model toy trains were exhibited at the Robert H. Burns American Legion Post No. 16 in Covington last weekend, with dozens of train dioramas and hundreds of collector train cars on display. The event was sponsored by the Louisiana Chapter of the Train Collectors Association. 

The entire Post building was filled from wall to wall with exhibits, train tracks, and vendors selling all kind of items that went into making train layouts look realistic. Here are some photographs. 

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There was even a trolley layout set up. 

Cars, both railroad cars and automobile cars