The unincorporated community of Covington, Michigan is in the upper central Covington Township in Baraga County, in the Upper Peninsula.
Because Covington is unincorporated, the community has no defined borders, but the reference is to the settlement near the intersection of US-141 and M-28, west of Vermilac Lake. The Ottawa National Forest is a few miles to the west, while Craig Lake State Park is a few miles to the east.
As of today, there are no incorporated cities or villages within the township, but there are four other unincorporated communities, which are the nearest neighbors to Covington. These are Watton (3.8 miles west), Vermilac (4.0 miles east), Tunis (10.8 miles south-southwest), and Tioga (11.6 miles east-northeast). The nearest incorporated villages are L'Anse (16.9 miles north) and Baraga 22.4 miles north). The nearest city is Iron River, 33.2 miles south-southwest of Covington. Others include Crystal Falls (35.0 miles south-southeast), Gaastra (38.8 miles south), Ishpeming (45.8 miles east), and Houghton (49.0 miles east).
The first European-Americans to settle the area were French-Canadians, who came around 1885. They were involved largely in logging. The Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic Railroad established a station there, in the same year that a post office was established on October 17, 1895. The station, post office, and township were named for the Kentucky hometown of the first postmaster, John Lyons. The railroad is still in operation, and the Covington station is now used for railroad storage by the Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad.
As the surrounding timberland declined as trees were harvested, agriculture became more common. Finnish farmers became coming in 1898, eventually outnumbering the town's French population. Common industries were potatoes, corn, wheat, and dairy, although logging continued to be an important industry even today, largely due to a continued supply of cordwood and pulpwood.
In 1900, Finnish Lutherans founded the Covington Evangelical Lutheran Church, which was added onto over the years. Currently known as the Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church, the building has become a tourist attraction, although it continues to support an active congregation.
In the late 1920s, several businesses were established in Covington because the proposed US-102 was intended to run north from Rapid River along the route currently taken by US-41, then turning west at Marquette to end at Covington. Then the plan was changed to begin the road near Crystal Falls and to end it in Covington. However, the proposed road was decommissioned before it was even built, and was later replaced by US-141.
Covington residents still celebrate their Finnish heritage through a Finnish Music Festival, held around the 4th of July each year. The town also hosts the UP Made Artist Market, a project of the Community Women's Group, from May to October.
The focus of this guide is on the unincorporated community of Covington, Michigan. However, due to the lack of defined boundaries, resources bearing a Covington post office address would be appropriate for this category. The Covington post office serves the northern part of the township, while the southwestern areas of the township are served by the Watton post office.
Recommended Resources
Founded by Finnish settlers in early Covington, Michigan, the congregation was originally known as the Covington Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Independent National Congregation and is currently affiliated with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. The history of the church is told here, along with a contact form, church news and alerts, a church calendar, a weekly prayer list, a pastor’s devotional blog, and notices of various ministries and events of the church.
https://bethanylutherancovington.wordpress.com/
Situated in southwest Baraga County, Covington Township has a population of fewer than five hundred people, and no incorporated villages or towns. The official township website lists township board members and departmental contacts, board and commission meeting schedules, and information about local organizations, cemeteries, recreational facilities and programs, utilities, activities, and events. Office hours and contact information are included.
http://www.covingtonmichigan.org/
Also known as the Covington Cemetery or the New Covington Cemetery, and situated at West Cemetery Road and Besonen Road in Covington, Michigan, this is the newer cemetery, still in use, and maintained by Covington Township. The Find A Grave site allows site visitors to upload photos and information and includes a map showing its location, photos of the cemetery, and of memorial stones of people interred there, including details for each.
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/322/covington-township-cemetery
Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day of the year except Christmas, the locally owned restaurant in Covington, Michigan serves food that is made by hand, from scratch. Its location, business hours, telephone number, social media links, and a contact form are posted, along with a menu, and customer reviews. Additionally, customers are encouraged to upload a review to the site. Its policies for groups of six or more are included, and announcements are posted.
https://hardwoodsteakhousemi.com/
Old Covington Township Cemetery
Officially known simply as Covington Township Cemetery, this cemetery, on Vedder Road, is owned and maintained by Covington Township, but is no longer in use. The last burial in this cemetery has been about twenty-five years ago. The Find a Grave site features photos of the grounds and of memorial stones, with details about people who are interred there. Maintained by local site visitors, the majority of the plots do not currently include photos.
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/321/covington-township-cemetery
