| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — "Bridgeport Inn" |
| | The old Levitt House which became The Bridgeport Hotel and is now the Bridgeport Inn was built in 1877 by Sam Hopkins for Hiram L. Leavitt. Weary travelers in the old west used this historic hotel as a stage and buggy stop to and from the Bodie gold mining town. Legend has it that Samuel Clemens was a guest here and a bed room has been so named the “Mark Twain Room.” Legend also has it that the hotel is haunted by the “white lady” who has been seen by various guests through out the years. — Map (db m10365) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — "The Irwin" |
| | Presented to the town of Bridgeport by J. S. Cain in 1914. Built in 1881 by J. Renault, machinist for the Standard Co. of Bodie, Calif. This cannon was never fired. — Map (db m10323) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Bridgeport Chronicle-Union |
| | On this site stood the original office of the Bridgeport Chronicle - Union newspaper. In 1880, while still publishing the "Bodie Chronicle", the Folger Brothers, Robert and Alex, started the "Bridgeport Union". The first number of the Bridgeport paper appeared on May 15, 1880, and with the completion of the new courthouse, they were assured of plenty of county printing, so they moved their Bodie plant to Bridgeport, merged the two papers, and created the "Bridgeport Chronicle-Union." — Map (db m37622) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Bridgeport Elementary School |
| | Built in 1880, this historic building was used until October, 1964. Plans for a new school building called for the destruction of this one. It was saved by the Mono County Historical Society, the citizens of Bridgeport and Mono County. Through the support of Mono County Supervisors, the building was purchased and moved to this location to serve as the first county museum. This is a proud old building and when first set in place on its new foundation, its doors and windows would not open or . . . — Map (db m10324) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Dynamo Plant and Pond |
| | Completed December 1, 1892, by the Standard Consolidated Mining Company, this hydro-electric generating plant began operation in October 1893. Electricity was transmitted over a 13 mile line to the mining company’s 20 stamp mill at Bodie. This facility was one of the first of its kind in this country. — Map (db m49953) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — East Walker Toll House |
| | Henry Hayes lived in the toll house building on this site and collected tolls beginning about 1880 and continued until the county purchased the road in 1915. State ownership occurred August 21, 1833. Tolls were 25˘ for saddle horsed, 75˘ for teams, 75˘ for autos. D. Hayes, J.J. Welxh and A.F. Bryant had the original road built in 1868. — Map (db m49889) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — First Bridgeport Courthouse |
| | Located near this site was the first courthouse in the town of Bridgeport. Previously, the county courthouse was in Aurora (the county seat established in 1861) However, a state boundary survey completed in 1863 determined that town was actually in Nevada.
With the relocation of the county seat to Bridgeport in 1864, a new courthouse was needed. A survey of the town revealed only one suitable building – the American Hotel (owned by J. C. Kingsley). Subsequently the hotel was . . . — Map (db m8545) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Fremont’s Trail 1844 |
| | On January 27th, a cold winter day in 1844, Captain John C. Fremont and his guide Kit Carson, led as small band of half-starved men west past this point. They were in search of the fabled Buena Ventura River, which they believed would give them easy passage through the high range to the west and on to the fort of John Sutter. A short way northwest of here, they were forced to abandon their howitzer because of the deep snow, as their tired men could no longer pull the 1500 pound gun and caisson. . . . — Map (db m49887) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Frontier Justice |
| | On this site, Bridgeport's most sensational court trial occurred June 9th, 1891. Ah Quong Tai, a local Chinese businessman accused of the cannibalistic murder of Poker Tom, a well known Paiute Indian, appeared in court defended by two attorneys, J.C. Murphy and W.O. Parker. Reportedly, several hundred people gathered around the Bridgeport Justice Court to observe this much anticipated trial. Although Deputy District Attorney Hayes made a strong case, Judge T. Fales ruled there was insufficient . . . — Map (db m37596) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Hunewill Upper Sawmill — Buckeye Canyon – 1863 |
| | Napoleon Bonaparte Hunewill and his wife Esther arrive in San Francisco from Maine in 1859, and early in 1861 they came to Aurora. Late fall found them building a home at Buckeye Hot Springs. In 1862, N.B. Hunewill has the Eagle Creek Lumber Mill in operation. The demand for lumber was so great that in 1863 the Upper Mill was opened. Seventy-five men were employed at the two mills. Wagons piled with lumber, each pulled by 16 oxen, headed for the Humewill Lumber Yard in Bodie where lumber was . . . — Map (db m49956) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Masonic |
| | Although gold was discovered here in 1860, it was not until about 1900 that Joseph Green staked the rich Jump Up Joe Mine. On the Fourth of July, 1902, J. S. Bryan and Caleb Dorsey made an exciting find and called it the Pittsburg-Liberty to honor a birthplace and a date. Fraternal background determined the name to be attached to this camp which eventually evolved into three sections known as Lower, Middle and Upper Town. In 1908, Masonic promised to be one of the major mining camps of the . . . — Map (db m37631) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Mono County Court House |
| | Since April 1, 1881 with the trial of Morton, indicted for theft of gold bullion from the Standard Co. of Bodie, the scales of justice in this building have continuously weighed the problems of Mono County from infancy to this present day. This impressive building remains a classic example of the artisans of yesterday. — Map (db m10322) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Mono County Memorial Hall — Alta Lodge No. 333 |
| | Alta Lodge No. 333, Free and Accepted Masons was chartered on October 15. 1897.
The original lodge hall was in the brick building at the corner of Hwy. 395 and Hayes Street. The Lodge moved to this location in 1955. An ever changing society caused Alta Lodge to consolidate with Winnedumah Lodge No. 287 in Bishop in 1986. — Map (db m49958) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Old County Jail |
| | Since the formation of Mono County in 1861, six facilities have served as the county jail. This stone building was placed into service by Sheriff C.F. McKinney, Dec. 5, 1883, and became the 5th Mono County Jail. It replaced the wooden jail facility partially destroyed, December 16, 1882, during an escape attempt by prisoners. This replacement jailhouse, larger than its predecessor, contained – an office, dining area, 6 cells, 2 wash and storage rooms. The walls were two feet thick and . . . — Map (db m10364) HM |
| California (Mono County), Bridgeport — Poor Farm |
| | It began as the county hospital in Bodie in 1879. With the decline of Bodie in the mid 1880’s, the hospital was moved eventually to a site east of this monument and Highway 395 to the rear of the small meadow that you see. At that time it became known as the “Poor Farm”, a refuge for the aged, ill, and penniless. It continued to operate for several years, but the high cost of maintaining the facility forced its closure and the building and property were put up for bid and sold to a local rancher. — Map (db m11347) HM |
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