Covington House (Vancouver, Washington)
Encyclopedia
The Covington House historic cabin
in Vancouver, Washington
, was built by Richard and Charlotte "Anna" Covington born, raised and married in London
, England
who travelled by ship around Cape Horn
/South America
, stopping at the Sandwich Islands
/Hawaii
and finally arriving at Fort Vancouver
in the Oregon Territory
, where they had been hired to teach children of the Hudson’s Bay Company employees. The first three "plains" of the area were held by Hudson Bay Fur Trade
Co. whereas the fourth "plain" was opened up for public sale as property north of the Columbia River
became part of the United States
, the government gave newly acquired land to early pioneers, willing to settle and farm the land. The Covingtons taught at the Fort immediately after their arrival, 1846 until April 11, 1848 when they entered "donation land claim" #43 640 acres (2.6 km²) in the Fourth Plain area, the community now referred to as Orchards, Wa, where they built their home, House #16 and Boarding School
, per the 1850 census
. Although they never had any of their own children, the couple established a boarding school in addition to operating a large fruit
farm
, called the Kalsus Farm. The children slept in the cabin loft, as it was an arduous seven - eight mile trek, one way, north east of the Fort and wrought with danger for small children to attempt to travel alone. The Covington's log cabin soon became known as the social center of hospitality with musical entertainment in the early days of Vancouver on the Columbia River. Besides his guitar
, they also brought a violin
and the first piano
to the Pacific Northwest
as well, they also taught music to many of these local children at that time. Richard Covington was extremely talented, in addition to building their log cabin
home, and developing an expansive orchard
, he served in several offices as Justice of the Peace
, County Clerk, School Superintendent, Mapmaker, Artist
, Musician
, Vocalist, and briefly as a Ranger
during an "Indian uprising" First Nations
/Native Americans
.
The inscription on the marker in front of the cabin: "Erected 1848 by Richard and Anne Charlotte Covington on Fourth Plain. Boarding school was conducted herein in 1850. This building housed first piano in the Oregon Country and was center of social activity in entire region".
U.S. Army Captain (and future President) Ulysses S. Grant was quartermaster at what was then known as Columbia Barracks at Fort Vancouver, for 15 months beginning in September 1852-1853. During this time, he was known to ride 7–8 miles by horseback to visit the Covington home, to enjoy 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 their friend and then President of the United States
Ulysses S. Grant
, so they sold their farm, in January, 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. The Covingtons stayed in Washington, DC through President Grant's term in office, then temporarily spent time in Victioria, BC until retiring to the Sandwich Islands until Richards death. It is believed that Anna returned to England.
The Covington House cabin, which is the oldest (domestic dwelling/home) privately built structure, is also the oldest school building in addition to it being the oldest boarding school built in Clark County, Washington
. Circa 1925, it was "rediscovered" by local businessmen, who came together to raise attention, and funds, needed to save and restore the cabin. Which at that time 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, dispiritedly in part of a weed-grown lot". Circa 1926-28, the individually adze hewn logs of the cabin were numbered and catalogued, disassembled, and relocated at its present site, 4201 Main Street, where it stands today. At that time that was the northwest corner of Leverich Park
, (in an area called Kiggins Bowl due to the shape of the terrain), facing the old Pacific Highway (US)
, before being separated from the Park by the developement of the "new" freeway, Interstate
I-5. Several modifications were added during this major restoration and relocation project, including electricity, heat, lights, water and plumbing, wooden floor, a new unique fireplace boasting large local river stones and single piece of local timber for the new fireplace and mantle, new windows, a kitchen, two restrooms and a fully restored roof with wooden rain gutters. The location was distinctive as being on the old Pacific Highway, and facing the old "Vancouver Column" adjacent to the oldest and now the newest (due to removal, restoration and re-dedication of the) Blue Star Memorial Highway
Marker, in the state of Washington.
The Covington House itself is currently owned and maintained by the city of Vancouver on land owned by the local school district and managed by the Vancouver Woman's Society affiliated with GFWC The General Federation of Woman's Clubs. As the house had served as a home, a farm and a boarding school, and quickly became a social hub. As it was in the beginning, and so it is now, the cabin continues to provide a special place for special events as well as being utilized by many local groups as a regular meeting place. Because the cabin is a National Landmark, it is available to view by the public, by appointment.
Cabin
Cabin may refer to:* Cabin. A small, roughly built house usually with a wood exterior and typically found in rural areas* Log cabin, a small house built from logs with basic utilities* Cottage, a dwelling, typically in a rural, or semi-rural location...
in Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington. Incorporated in 1857, it is the fourth largest city in the state with a 2010 census population of 161,791 as of April 1, 2010...
, was built by Richard and Charlotte "Anna" Covington born, raised and married in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
who travelled by ship around Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
/South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, stopping at the Sandwich Islands
Sandwich Islands
Sandwich Islands was the name given to the Hawaiian Islands by James Cook on one of his voyages in the 1770s. James Cook named the islands after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, a supporter of Cook's voyages...
/Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and finally arriving at Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost along the Columbia River that served as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company in the company's Columbia District...
in the Oregon Territory
Oregon Territory
The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Oregon. Originally claimed by several countries , the region was...
, where they had been hired to teach children of the Hudson’s Bay Company employees. The first three "plains" of the area were held by Hudson Bay Fur Trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
Co. whereas the fourth "plain" was opened up for public sale as property north of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
became part of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the government gave newly acquired land to early pioneers, willing to settle and farm the land. The Covingtons taught at the Fort immediately after their arrival, 1846 until April 11, 1848 when they entered "donation land claim" #43 640 acres (2.6 km²) in the Fourth Plain area, the community now referred to as Orchards, Wa, where they built their home, House #16 and Boarding School
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
, per the 1850 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
. Although they never had any of their own children, the couple established a boarding school in addition to operating a large fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
, called the Kalsus Farm. The children slept in the cabin loft, as it was an arduous seven - eight mile trek, one way, north east of the Fort and wrought with danger for small children to attempt to travel alone. The Covington's log cabin soon became known as the social center of hospitality with musical entertainment in the early days of Vancouver on the Columbia River. Besides his guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, they also brought a violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and the first piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
to the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
as well, they also taught music to many of these local children at that time. Richard Covington was extremely talented, in addition to building their log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
home, and developing an expansive orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
, he served in several offices as Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, County Clerk, School Superintendent, Mapmaker, Artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, Musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, Vocalist, and briefly as a Ranger
Ranger
-Law enforcement:* Arizona Rangers* California State Rangers* Colorado Mounted Rangers* Council ranger, a type of officer in Australia* Newfoundland Rangers* New Mexico Rangers* Pakistan Rangers, a Pakistani paramilitary force* Texas Ranger Division...
during an "Indian uprising" First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
/Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
.
The inscription on the marker in front of the cabin: "Erected 1848 by Richard and Anne Charlotte Covington on Fourth Plain. Boarding school was conducted herein in 1850. This building housed first piano in the Oregon Country and was center of social activity in entire region".
U.S. Army Captain (and future President) Ulysses S. Grant was quartermaster at what was then known as Columbia Barracks at Fort Vancouver, for 15 months beginning in September 1852-1853. During this time, he was known to ride 7–8 miles by horseback to visit the Covington home, to enjoy 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 their friend and then President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, so they sold their farm, in January, to William C. Hazard for $2,100 and moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
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. The Covingtons stayed in Washington, DC through President Grant's term in office, then temporarily spent time in Victioria, BC until retiring to the Sandwich Islands until Richards death. It is believed that Anna returned to England.
The Covington House cabin, which is the oldest (domestic dwelling/home) privately built structure, is also the oldest school building in addition to it being the oldest boarding school built in Clark County, Washington
Clark County, Washington
Clark County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Washington, across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon.Clark County was the first county of Washington, named after William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition...
. Circa 1925, it was "rediscovered" by local businessmen, who came together to raise attention, and funds, needed to save and restore the cabin. Which at that time 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, dispiritedly in part of a weed-grown lot". Circa 1926-28, the individually adze hewn logs of the cabin were numbered and catalogued, disassembled, and relocated at its present site, 4201 Main Street, where it stands today. At that time that was the northwest corner of Leverich Park
Leverich Park
Leverich Park is a park located in Vancouver, Washington. It is located along Burnt Bridge Creek in a natural area of Vancouver adjacent to Interstate 5. The park features a large picnic shelter, picnic tables, plenty of hiking trails and a twelve hole Disc golf course.- History :The park is north...
, (in an area called Kiggins Bowl due to the shape of the terrain), facing the old Pacific Highway (US)
Pacific Highway (US)
Pacific Highway is the name of several north-south highways in the Pacific Coast region of the Western United States, either by legislation officially designating it as such or by common usage....
, before being separated from the Park by the developement of the "new" freeway, Interstate
Interstate
An Interstate is a type of high-speed, limited-access highway in the United StatesInterstate may also refer to:-Media:*Interstate 60 , a metaphysical comedy/drama road film...
I-5. Several modifications were added during this major restoration and relocation project, including electricity, heat, lights, water and plumbing, wooden floor, a new unique fireplace boasting large local river stones and single piece of local timber for the new fireplace and mantle, new windows, a kitchen, two restrooms and a fully restored roof with wooden rain gutters. The location was distinctive as being on the old Pacific Highway, and facing the old "Vancouver Column" adjacent to the oldest and now the newest (due to removal, restoration and re-dedication of the) Blue Star Memorial Highway
Blue Star Memorial Highway
Blue Star Memorial Highways are highways in the United States that are marked to pay tribute to the U.S. armed forces. The National Council of State Garden Clubs, now known as National Garden Clubs, Inc., started the program in 1945 after World War II. The blue star was used on service flags to...
Marker, in the state of Washington.
The Covington House itself is currently owned and maintained by the city of Vancouver on land owned by the local school district and managed by the Vancouver Woman's Society affiliated with GFWC The General Federation of Woman's Clubs. As the house had served as a home, a farm and a boarding school, and quickly became a social hub. As it was in the beginning, and so it is now, the cabin continues to provide a special place for special events as well as being utilized by many local groups as a regular meeting place. Because the cabin is a National Landmark, it is available to view by the public, by appointment.
Historic Registry
- Listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
May 5, 1972. - Listed on the Clark County Heritage Register in 1985.