Nestled in the hills overlooking the cities of Covington and Cincinnati, Devou Park is a regional asset spanning 700+ acres. This park offers an array of recreational and entertainment opportunities including an 18-hole golf course, multiple playgrounds and picnic shelters, a collection of mature trees of various species, over eight miles of mountain bike trails, an amphitheater, a fishing lake, paved and nature trails, and more. The park is also home to the NKY Children’s Home, Drees Pavilion at the Devou Memorial Overlook, and the Behringer-Crawford Museum.
Devou Park was originally the family farm of William P. Devou, Sr. and Sarah Ogden Devou. Their children, Charles and William P. Devou, Jr., donated the 500-acre family estate to the City of Covington for park purposes in 1910, with Charles and his wife, Helen, keeping the right to live in the Devou home until their death. From 1911 until shortly before his death in 1922, Charles held the position of Devou Park Superintendent.
The Devou Park band shell was built as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project during the Great Depression and opened in 1939 to enthusiastic crowds. It continues to host great events and is home to the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra’s Summer Concert Series.
Devou Park, including the Overlook area, is open everyday from dawn until dark. The only exception is for guests attending evening events at Drees Pavilion or the Behringer-Crawford Museum.
