Covington

Nebraska's ghost towns are railroad and homestead towns, spaced every few miles along lines the trains don't run anymore.

The Covington, Columbus and Black Hills Railroad is an historic narrow gauge railroad that operated in the U.S. state of Nebraska. Possibly the only narrow gauge revenue railroad in Nebraska, it opened in 1876 and ran on 26 mi (42 km) of 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) narrow gauge track in the northeast part of the state from Covington (South Sioux City) to Ponca. In 1879 it merged to become part of the Sioux City and Nebraska Railroad. It later merged into the Chicago, Saint Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railway which saw the line extended to Wynot.

The on-the-ground condition of Covington is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Covington is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.