Covington High School is now A Virginia Historic Landmark and has been nominated to be listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

The Covington City School Board initiated the process last year to have the school nominated for designation as a Virginia Historic Landmark. Tom Long, director of Administration Services for the city system, said last month the board began the process in the fall of last year. John Kern and Michael Pulice of the state agency completed a study of the building, its history and interviewed several graduates.

Covington High School has been placed in the Virginia Landmarks Register which includes historic landmarks, buildings, structure, districts, objects and sites which are recognized as having historical, architectural, or archaeological significance at a local, state or national level.

Downtown Covington was designated a Virginia Historic Landmark in 1990 but the area did not include Covington High School. The school's campus is 7.5 acres at 530 S. Lexington Avenue and is bounded by Chestnut Street, Oak Street and Craig Avenue and includes Burton Field directly behind the school which has a track and practice field. It served as the school's football field for many years until Casey Field was developed.

The main building facing Lexington Avenue was built in 1939 in the Neo-classical Modern and Art Deco style. The three-story, brick building was designed by the Roanoke architect firm of Smithey and Boynton.

In addition to serving as a high school, the building is utilized as a community social center. Among uses are performances by musical and performing arts groups and community fund-raising events such as the Queen of Hearts Pageants. Also, in the past, the building has been used for military recruitment, dispensing polio vaccinations, a meeting space for local paper mill's union members and town meetings conducted by the city council.

On the form it is noted that the interior spaces of the original building include wide halls with vaulted ceilings and hidden lighting. The average size classrooms retain all original features such as small closets and French doors and 2-inch-wide flooring.

The auditorium, Curfman Hall, includes a stage and balcony and all of the original features have been preserved including decorative trim, seats, flooring and coffered ceiling. Access to the auditorium is a through formal room with marble dados, plaster cornice and corbeled ceiling. The auditorium is where many public gatherings are held.

Source: Virginian Review - Saturday, April 5, 2008