Built in 1862 by David J. Wood with lumber from his mill in Sierra County, the covered bridge formed part of the Virginia Turnpike Company toll road serving the northern mines and the Nevada Comstock Lode. Together with the associated ranch and resources for rest and repair, it provided a necessary lifeline across the Sierra Nevada. Using a unique combination truss and arch construction, Bridgeport Covered Bridge is one of the oldest housed spans in the western United States and the longest single-span wooden covered bridge in the world.