Riverside Drive Historic District

Infobox_nrhp
name =Riverside Drive Historic District
nrhp_type = hd


caption =
location= Covington, Kentucky
lat_degrees = 39
lat_minutes = 5
lat_seconds = 23
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 84
long_minutes = 30
long_seconds = 23
long_direction = W
locmapin = Kentucky
area =
built =1815
architect= Unknown
architecture= Greek Revival, Late Victorian, Georgian
added = November 23, 1971
governing_body = Local
refnum=71000350cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2008-04-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]

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. [LeVee, Luella " [http://www.kentonlibrary.org/genealogy/register/RiversideDriveDistrict.pdf Riverside Drive Historic District NRHP form] " (Northern Kentucky Heritage League, 1971) pg.3] 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. [LeVee pg.2]

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 escape from their rightful owners as part of the Underground Railroad. Prominent visitors to the house included the Marquis de Lafayette, Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson, and Daniel Webster. [LeVee pg.2] [citeweb|url=http://migration.kentucky.gov/kyhs/hmdb/MarkerSearch.aspx?mode=County&county=59|publisher=migration.kentucky.gov|title=Visitors of the house|accessdate=2008-07-02]

In recent yearswhen seven statues of prominent figures in the history of the area were placed throughout the district. These included Daniel Carter Beard, John James Audubon, and Chief Little Turtle. [citeweb|url=http://www.nkytourism.com/attractions/historical_sight_seeing.aspx|title=Attractions and history|publisher=www.nkytourism.com|accessdate=2008-07-02]

Gallery

ee also

* Licking Riverside Historic District

References