In the registry of *The National Registry of Historic places*, The Covington House in Vancouver, Washington, was built by Richard and Anna Covington , both hired teachers of London, England who had come to Fort Vancouver to instruct the children of the Hudson’s Bay Trading Company employees. but the fourth "plain" was opened up for public domestic sale. In 1840's the Covingtons entered a “donatio
n claim” of 640 acres in the Fourth Plain area now referred to as Orchards, where they built their home and established a boarding school run by Anna and Richard, on their orchard farm which they called the Kalsus Farm. The children slept in the cabin loft, as it was an arduous seven mile trek one way to the fort /shipping port and wrought with danger for small children to attempt to travel alone. The Covington's log cabin, which took some two years to build by hand, (1846-1848), soon became reknown as the social hub and center of hospitality with musical entertainment in the early days of Vancouver. Besides his guitar, they also brought the first piano to the Pacific Northwest and they also taught music to many of these local children at that time. General Grant, assigned to Ft Vancouver, (circa 1852), far away from his own family, often times rode by horseback the seven miles to the Covington homestead, in order to conjur and experience some semblance of familial life. Richard Covington was elected Clark County school superintendent in 1862 and 1863. In 1867 he received an appointment to work in the United States Patent Office, under the administration of President Ulysses S. Grant, so he sold their farm to William C. Hazard for $2,100 and moved to Washington, D.C. At the time of their departure, they gave their piano to a friend who eventually gave it to Nan Maynard Rice years later. In 1967, Miss Rice, in turn, gave the piano to a local historical society. When the Covingtons sailed from England all the way around The Horn, (the southern most tip of South America), the ship stopped en route at Hawaii. So, when Richard retired, they returned there to live on the island paradise. A remaining uncultivated twenty acres of the original homestead site in Orchards, Wa. are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, where significant evidence of occupation of early First Peoples has been discovered. The cabin was rediscovered when local businessmen, circa 1925, came together to raise attention and funds needed to save the first domestic dwelling ever built in Clark County Washington. Which not only was being used to house farm animals, but was in advanced stage of disrepair - barren and weathered, open windows and doors, and unkempt shingles, found in part of a weed-grown lot. The adze hewn logs of the cabin were numbered and catalogued, disassembled, and relocated at its present site in September 1926. Which at that time was the northwest corner of Leverich Park along the old highway, before being separated from the Park by the developement of the "new" freeway, Interstate I-5. Several modifications we added during this major project, including new windows, a new unique large local river stones fireplace, a kitchen, restrooms and a fully restored roof. The roadway out front (the old Pacific Highway) hosts the established site location for the oldest, and since restoration the now youngest, Blue Star Marker in the state of Washington. The charming Covington House is currently owned by the city of Vancouver and maintained by the Vancouver Woman's Society affiliated with GFWC The General Federation of Woman's Clubs. The Covington's home continues to be a social hub. The maintenance group, offers an annual Open House twice weekly in Summer, in both July and August, (Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am - 4pm, (which should be posted in local newspaper). And as an historic landmark, the house may be viewed by appointment at any time throughout the year - parents and teachers are highly encouraged to do so. The Covington House cabin also regularly serves as a local meeting place for several local groups, teachers and garden clubs and is available for hire for private events and celebrations including tea parties, birthday parties, anniversaries, as well as being especially popular for weddings.
* National Registry of Historic Places*
Listed on the National Register of Historic Sites in 1974. Listed on the Clark County Heritage Register in 1985.
1846 architecture
History of Washington (state)
Buildings and structures in Vancouver, Washington
Schools on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington (state)
