Have you ever visited Covington, Georgia to go on a self-guided In the Heat of the Night tour? In the Heat of the Night started filming in Covington in 1989 and finished filming on 1995. The six years they filmed in the Hollywood of the South left many places that can be easily seen by visitors. Here are our top five locations you have to see when you visit Covington, Georgia.
1. Sparta Police Headquarters- the building used for exterior shots of the police headquarters was actually the Newton County Library located on Monticello Street. However, when you step up to the library you will be sent back in time to when it was the headquarters. It is easy to imagine the old signage on the building.
2. Town Square- Did you know that Sparta Town Square is actually Covington’s Town Square? Take a stroll through the beautiful magnolia trees that fill the square. You can also view our Confederate Monument. Most Confederate Monuments face north; however, ours faces west. Can you guess why?
3. Virgil and Althea Tibb’s house- While you can’t go inside this house, you can still view the exterior. Maybe you will even be able to imagine the kids playing on the front lawn like they use to?
4. Bill Gillespie’s House- Like the Tibb’s house you can’t go inside here. However, you can still view the outside of the beautiful house that Gillespie bought in season 7 of the show.
5. Sparta Courthouse- The Sparta Courthouse is also the historic Covington Courthouse. On certain days you are able to go in the courthouse. In front of the Courthouse is Bill Gillespie’s star from our Walk of Stars. Can you imagine all the nostalgia you will feel when you visit this iconic site?
If you come to visit Sparta, Mississippi in Covington, Georgia, make sure you pick up a self-guided Hollywood of the South tour from the Newton County Visitors Center first. That way you will be able to see many of our wonderful filming locations feature in In the Heat of the Night.
