National Register of Historic Places

Riverside Drive Historic District

Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky
Listed
November 23, 1971
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
71000350

About this property

The Riverside Drive Historic District is a historic district located at the west bank of the confluence of the Licking River and the Ohio River in Covington, Kentucky, directly across from Cincinnati, Ohio. Prior to the city of Covington's founding, George Rogers Clark used the area as a mustering spot for incursions against the Indians from Ohio who were raiding Kentucky, and then later for organizing troops for his Illinois campaign. It is believed that the first white settlers of the Greater Cincinnati area chose the Riverside Drive area for their settlement. Riverside Drive was a popular place to build the finest houses in Covington, with many still standing from the early 19th century. Over thirty of the buildings in the district are considered exceptional samples of their architectural style. There are several independently notable buildings in the district. The Daniel Carter Beard Boyhood Home was the boyhood home of Daniel Carter Beard, founder of the Boy Scouts of America, and is a National Historic Landmark. The 1815-built Thomas Carneal House, the first brick house in Covington, is a Georgian-style domicile reminiscent of Italian architect Andrea Palladio; it still features a tunnel, leading to the Licking River, that allowed the owners to help slaves escaping via the Underground Railroad. Prominent visitors to the house included the Marquis de Lafayette, Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson, and Daniel Webster. Seven bronze statues of prominent figures in the history of the area are placed in lifelike poses on riverside benches. These include James Bradley, Daniel Carter Beard, John James Audubon, and Chief Little Turtle.

Location

Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky
39.08992, -84.50592

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Riverside Drive Historic District

This page lists Riverside Drive Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Beard, Daniel Carter, Boyhood Home
Early Republic
0 mi
JOHN W. HUBBARD (sternwheeler)
Industrial
0.2 mi
Ohio Riverside Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
0.2 mi
Hearne House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Northern Bank of Kentucky
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Morgan's Raid – Southgate and Newport, Ohio Crossing
1863Civil War
1.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Riverside Drive Historic District listed on the National Register?

Riverside Drive Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 23, 1971.

What type of historic resource is Riverside Drive Historic District?

Riverside Drive Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Riverside Drive Historic District?

The period of significance for Riverside Drive Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Riverside Drive Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Riverside Drive Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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