The small village of Rock Mill was founded in 1799 by Joseph Loveland and Hezekiah Smith. They built a mill, store, distillery, and a tavern. The mill was the first one built on the Hocking River. It was intended to be a combination of a grist and woolen mill, but the woolen machinery was never added. Despite all of their hard work, they were forced to leave the village by the local Indians, due to all of the alcohol they produced and provided.

Rock Mill was built in 1824 by Christian Morehart, above the original mill site. It's considered the oldest and largest mill in Ohio. Today, the mill is currently undergoing restoration. This covered bridge replaced the original covered bridge that was located here. It's one of the shortest covered bridges in the state.

Jacob Rugh Brandt was born in 1836 in Fairfield County. He learned the bridge building trade early in life from Jonathon Coulson. Coulson was a local bridge builder that often visited the Brandt Farm. In 1858, Brandt began working for the Fairfield County Commissioners. He designed and built numerous schoolhouses, churches, and small bridges throughout the county. In 1864, Brandt built his first covered bridge near Baltimore. He went on to build numerous covered bridge during his 43 year career. Brandt would cut and test fit the timbers in his front yard before shipping them to the construction site. Many people called him "Blue Jeans Brandt" because he usually wore denim head to toe. Jacob Rugh Brandt died in 1911.