Floyd Street Historic District
Why it's listed
Floyd Street, just east of Covington's town square, is lined with large two-story houses built from the 1830s into the early 1900s. It is a wide, tree-lined street and one of the earliest developed in the town. The houses show two waves of classical design. Mid-19th-century Greek Revival examples include the Usher House, Swanscombe, Judge Floyd's House and the Cottage, while later Neo-Classical Revival homes such as the Porter-Rogers-Tuck House and the Williams-Adams-Cook House fill spaces between them. Swanscombe, built in 1830 by planter and merchant Cary Wood, is said to be the oldest weatherboarded house in Covington. The Graham-Simms House was built by Dr. William P. Graham, a trustee of the school that became the start of Emory University. Covington had only 500 to 600 residents in 1849, so this group of classical houses is unusual for its size. Wealth from surrounding farmland paid for the fine detailing, and the street remains largely residential.
Significance in brief: The district is described as one of Covington's most prominent and architecturally meritorious streets, showing two classical revivals: Greek Revival of the mid-19th century and Neo-Classical Revival of the early 20th century. The houses reflect wealth drawn from surrounding farmland and were owned by prominent local families. Because the street is still almost entirely residential, the houses remain close to their original condition.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 74000699, listed December 4, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Floyd St. from Elm to W of Sockwell St., Covington |
|---|---|
| County | Newton County |
| Listed | December 4, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000699 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival and Neo-Classical Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered; the street is still almost entirely residential, though some houses are now used as apartments. |
| Acreage | 30 |
| Within district | Covington Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.59677, -83.85543 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 74000699.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q49490022
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.