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Completed and opened for traffic in 1852, the bridge was designed and built by Lemuel Chenoweth and his brother, Eli, of Beverly.

The Chenoweth brothers were experienced bridge builders, and against the competition of other, and better known, bridge designers and builders they had constructed nine of the covered, wooden bridges on the Parkersburg and Staunton Turnpike a dozen years before, as well as many other bridges for several counties.

The Philippi bridge, however, was the Chenoweth master piece, with its 139-foot, dual lane, span -- and it stands today as a monument to its builders.

Never rebuilt, the bridge was strengtened in 1938 by two extra piers, a concrete floor, and a walk-way along the upper side in order to care for modern traffic.