| The Robert L. Covington House represents the most extravagant expression of Colonial Revival architecture in Hazlehurst. The house derives its significance from its well-documented construction, its outstanding exterior and interior integrity, and its long history of family ownership. The house was designed by the architectural firm of Barber & Kluttz of Knoxville, TN, and was constructed by the C.C. Hartwell Co. of Brookhaven, MS. Although the original plans and specifications, which have remained in the house, are undated, the owner has documented 1907 as the construction date. The millwork of the dining room and the parlor, which represented the popular French taste of the decade in its finishes and furnishings, is still painted white as specified by the architect. The mahogany of the library and the L-shaped hallway, as well as the stained pine of the service hallway, survives unpainted. Almost all original lighting devices remain, including the original wall sconces of the library and dining room. This house was individually listed on the National Register on 1 March 1984, and it was later included as a previously-listed element (element #58) in the Hazlehurst Historic District, which was placed on the National Register on 5 November 1998. It is included in "Buildings of Mississippi" (2020) (pp. 288-289, SC5). |