This historic cabin (the oldest domestic dwelling in Clark County Washington) was built in 1848 by Richard and Charlotte “Anna” Covington who had been hired by the Hudson’s Bay Company to teach the children of the fort.
The home was both a residence and a boarding school as it was a difficult seven to eight miles from the Fort to the *Kalsus Farm where the cabin was built. The home was not large by today’s standards but beds were made up in the cabin loft for the children to sleep leaving every inch of the main floor for lessons, food preparation, dining, indoor work and other activities.
Read or download historical news about Covington House.
Covington Historic House [141 page pdf]
Both Richard and Anna were accomplished musicians bringing the first piano to the Pacific Northwest as well as a guitar and violin. Musical evenings at the Covington’s attracted many visitors and soon the home became a social center of hospitality. Ulysses S. Grant, then a U. S. Army Captain was known to visit the home frequently during his time in Vancouver from September 1852 to 1853.
Richard Covington became the Clark County school superintendent in 1862 and 1863. In 1867 he received an appointment to work in the United States Patent Office at which time the couple sold their farm and moved to Washington D. C.
From this point the Covington house went through many transitions until the home became a rough shelter for animals falling into extreme neglect.
Finally about 1925 local business men came together to raise funds to save and restore the building.
Today the Covington House is currently owned and maintained by the city of Vancouver on land owned by the local school district and currently operated by The Covington House Heritage Society.
The House is available to book for small events such as Weddings, Receptions, Family Reunions, and other gatherings.
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5 May 1972 listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
1985 Listed on the Clark County Heritage Register.
*Kalsus Farm was in the Fourth Plain area, the community now referred to as Orchards, Wa7