Covington is a city in Newton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 11,547 as of the 2000 census. Census Estimates of 2005 indicate a population of 13,856. The city is the county seat of Newton County Incorporated in 1822, Covington was named for General Leonard Covington, a hero of the War of 1812. The city grew with the advent of the railroad in 1845, and in 1864, General Sherman's troops marched through during their March to the Sea. Although the city was looted, several antebellum homes were spared. Covington has served as the location for filming of several television shows, including In the Heat of the Night, the first five episodes of The Dukes of Hazzard and major films including My Cousin Vinny, Remember the Titans, ' and Halloween II, Rob Zombie's sequel to his 2007 film Halloween. Currently, The CW's television series The Vampire Diaries uses downtown Covington as the filming location for the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia.