In most places, they were a transition between stone and metal bridges, with the roof and sides protecting the wooden structure from weather.

[10] The bridge was built in 1850, and in the late 19th century Sonestown "boomed like crazy"[12] as the lumber industry grew in Sullivan County.

In 19th-century Pennsylvania, lumber was an abundant resource for bridge construction,[13] but wood did not last long when exposed to the elements.

[14] Although there were 30 covered bridges in Sullivan County in 1890, only five were left by 1954, and as of 2020 only three remain: Forksville, Hillsgrove, and Sonestown.

[6] The bridge crossed Muncy Creek to provide access to Johnny Hazen's gristmill,[17] which was also built in 1850.

[20] After the 2011 flood damage was restored, a plaque was placed on the bridge's west portal identifying Rogers as its builder.

According to the NRHP, the bridge's "road surface width" is 15 feet (4.6 m),[3] which is only sufficient for a single lane of traffic.

The portals are flanked by wing walls below the level of the road;[5] these extend out from the abutments at an angle and "retain the soil of the approach embankment".

[26] In 1885, the Williamsport and North Branch Railroad line along Muncy Creek reached Sonestown, passing just east of the bridge.

[30] The NRHP form states that the bridge had been recently repaired in 1969, and that additional maintenance work was needed.

The repairs done at that time included replacing some of the siding panels, reinforcing the abutments with concrete, and "very minor addition of steel to the truss structure".

In neighboring Lycoming County, flooding on Lycoming Creek in and near Williamsport killed six and caused millions of dollars in damage,[31] and an ice jam on Plunketts Creek destroyed a mid-19th century stone arch bridge which was also on the NRHP.

[32] The pressure of the flood on the Sonestown Covered Bridge moved the center of the structure almost 1 foot (0.30 m) downstream.

[31] Sullivan County owns the bridge and paid for its repair, which was mandated by the state since it is listed on the NRHP.

Since beer trucks could not cross it, deliveries to the American Legion Post southeast of the bridge were made with a hand cart instead.

[2] In September 2004, flooding from Hurricane Ivan followed by heavy rains in April 2005 made a hole in one of the covered bridge's abutments and weakened a structural support.

[33] August of that same year saw placement of riprap and fill in the creek to further protect the abutments, with the work done by Rexer's Drilling and Concrete of Dushore for $9,250.

The work, on private property and requiring permission from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection,[36] was done in the summer of 2006.

[37] The bridge was damaged when Muncy Creek flooded from over 12 inches (300 mm) of rainfall caused by Tropical Storm Lee on September 7, 2011.

The bridge was struck by debris carried by the creek leaving a tree trunk stuck in its side, the flood water reached its deck, and several cars were swept beneath it.

[42] In July 2020, the Sullivan County Commissioners hired Lycoming Supply to repair the closed bridge for $116,559, using FEMA funding.

[b] It noted the countermeasures taken to help protect the bridge's foundations from scour conditions (the potential for the stream washing them out).