Covington – Devou Park

Work your way up from the interstate, past Covington’s cozy row houses, far above the historic stone benches and 1930s-era band shell of Devou Park. Keep going, all the way to the top.

Here you’ll find one of the best views of the Cincinnati cityscape that has inspired everything from the name of a regional restaurant chain to footage for the opening credits of a 70s sitcom. You can also watch the Ohio River as it flows under the historic Roebling Suspension Bridge, beyond the timeless art deco of Carew Tower, and past the stadiums where the Reds and the Bengals play to points west.

This is the Devou Memorial Overlook — the highest point in Covington’s historic Devou Park, which has been a public place for personal gathering and reflection for generations.

Family farm becomes historic park

It has been over 100 years since the park opened on the former family farm of William P. Devou and Sarah Ogden Devou. The old family farmhouse is now the Behringer-Crawford Museum, or BCM, where visitors can learn about Northern Kentucky area history and industry. Works made in the region’s 19th-century pottery factories are on display alongside transportation exhibits that take guests on a tour of the area’s rich rail, river, and flight industries.

Train exhibit

Those keen on Northern Kentucky’s railroad heritage will be wowed by BCM’s floor-to-ceiling diorama and train exhibit spotlighting Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati in the early to mid 20^th century. The first-floor exhibit trundles along multiple tracks, twinkling with sights of the old days. Cincinnati’s Albee Theatre, the WLW radio station and tower, city parks, churches, store fronts, and other scenes from the Greater Cincinnati area are featured in the exhibit, painstakingly created by the late Ray Faragher.

Today the exhibit is maintained by Faragher’s friends. You can watch a video of the experience below:

Prehistory and oddities

If prehistory is your thing, then BCM has mastodon bones and other ancient relics galore, not to mention the eerily odd: a shrunken head from the Jivaro tribe of the Amazon, and a century old two-headed stuffed calf that used to stand and greet visitors until (staff informed me) its legs gave out.

Visitors will find the bovine oddity and shrunken head in a glass case at the visitor’s desk.

700 acres of public space

BCM is only part of the scenery at Devou Park. Visitors have over 700 acres of public space to explore here in the form of paved trails, nature walks, and wide-open spaces. Let’s take a look around.

The Band Shell

Everyone can find a spot on the lawn at the park’s Band Shell. This 1939 Works Progress Administration (WPA) amphitheater invites visitors to rest and relax as they enjoy music, art, and theater on stage.

Events at the Band Shell have historically included the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Series, the “Devougrass” bluegrass festival, fitness classes and outdoor movies, and Covington’s nearly 100-year-old Egg Hunt – a Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky tradition.

Devou Park Golf Course

Golfers will want to check out the expansive greens of the immaculate 18-hole Devou Park Golf Course, which features 6,000 yards of plush zoysia and other grasses. Described by the park as “leisurely,” the course is designed for golfers of all skill levels. You can begin your day of golf at the Devou Park Golf & Event Center where you can also grab a meal, a beer, or a cocktail at the Bar & Grill.

Rotary Grove Memorial

If stillness and quiet is what you seek, then Rotary Grove Memorial at Devou Park might be just what the doctor ordered. Meditative vibes flow among the trees and throughout the memorial’s stone and wood design, making this a picture-perfect place for relaxation and photographs.

Water lovers will want to explore – and maybe do a bit of fishing – at Prisoners Lake, a public lake much lovelier than its name implies. Everyone is invited to fish during regular park hours. (You’ll need a fishing permit if you are age 16 or older!)

Kids’ stuff

Children visiting Devou Park can do most everything the adults can do, and more. NaturePlay@BCM, located outside the museum, features a fun-size flatboat, cave, log cabin, and other structures for children to explore and experience the area’s rich history. There are also special events for the whole family posted regularly on the Devou Park Facebook page, plus additional playgrounds flanking the park’s many picnic shelters.

Celebrations

Speaking of special events, who doesn’t love weddings? Marriage proposals and weddings at Devou Park have been Greater Cincinnati area traditions for generations, and the park is happy to help you plan both. Check out Devou Park’s “Celebrate” page for details on planning all kinds of social and corporate events at the park.

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2020 was made for being outdoors, so why not head up, down, or over to Devou Park this fall? The trails are open, the trees are in peak color, and the Cincinnati skyline never disappoints. And don’t forget to stop into BCM to complete the experience!

Devou Park is open to the public from dawn to dusk every day, with many activities free of charge. For more information about Devou Park (including directions to the park) visit exploredevoupark.org. You can also reach the park at 859-292-2160.

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