Bridgeport, California
{{other uses}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Bridgeport, California
| other_name =
| settlement_type = Census-designated place
| image_skyline = Bridgeport, California, on the eastern slope of Sierra Mountains, and the county seat of Mono County LCCN2013633802.jpg
| image_caption = Main Street
| image_size = 288px
| image_map = Mono_County_California_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Bridgeport_Highlighted_0608240.svg
| map_caption = Location in Mono County and the state of California
| nickname =
| pushpin_map = California#USA
| pushpin_label = Bridgeport
| pushpin_map_caption =
| pushpin_image = California Locator Map with US.PNG
| coordinates = {{coord|38|15|02|N|119|13|53|W|region:US-CA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name1 = California
| subdivision_name2 = Mono
| established_title =
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_total_km2 = 56.33
| area_total_sq_mi = 21.75
| area_land_km2 = 56.31
| area_land_sq_mi = 21.74
| area_water_km2 = 0.02
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.01
| area_water_percent = 0.04
| area_note =
| elevation_ft = 6598
| population_as_of = 2020
| population_total = 553
| population_density_km2 =
| population_density_sq_mi = 25.4
| population_est =
| pop_est_as_of =
| pop_est_footnotes =
| postal_code_type = ZIP code
| postal_code = 93517
| area_code = 760/442
| area_code_type = Area codes
| website =
| footnotes =
| timezone = Pacific
| utc_offset = -8
| timezone_DST = PDT
| utc_offset_DST = -7
| blank_name = GNIS feature IDs
| blank_info = 2582950{{GNIS|2582950}}
}}
Bridgeport is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Mono County, California, United States.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }} It is the county seat of Mono County. The population was 553 at the 2020 census.
The first post office at Bridgeport opened in 1864.{{California's Geographic Names|1150}} The ZIP code is 93517, and the community is in area codes 760 and 442.
Geography
File:CA bridgeport reservoir bryant field USA.jpg
Bridgeport is in northwestern Mono County and lies at an elevation of {{convert|6463|ft}} in the middle of the Bridgeport Valley. The valley is ringed by mountains with the Sierra Nevada to the west, the Sweetwater Mountains to the north, and the Bodie Hills to the east.
The town center is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 395 and State Route 182. US 395 leads south {{convert|50|mi}} to Mammoth Lakes and northwest {{convert|81|mi}} to Carson City, Nevada, while State Route 182 leads northeast {{convert|13|mi}} to the Nevada border.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of {{convert|56.3|km2|abbr=on|disp=flip}}, 99.96% of it land, and 0.04% of it water. Bridgeport Reservoir, an impoundment on the East Walker River, forms the northwest edge of the community. The US Marine Corps' Mountain Warfare Training Center is located approximately {{convert|20|mi|km}} west of Bridgeport on State Route 108.
Demographics
{{US Census population
|2010= 575
|2020= 553
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census by Decade|website=United States Census Bureau|access-date=}}
2010{{Cite web|title= 2010 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - California |url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-6.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau}}
}}
Bridgeport first appeared as a census designated place in the 2010 U.S. Census.
=2020 census=
The 2020 United States census reported that Bridgeport had a population of 553. The population density was {{convert|25.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of Bridgeport was 350 (63.3%) White, 4 (0.7%) African American, 22 (4.0%) Native American, 7 (1.3%) Asian, 1 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 55 (9.9%) from other races, and 114 (20.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 171 persons (30.9%).{{cite web |title=Bridgeport CDP, California; DP1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?g=1600000US0608240 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 9, 2025}}
The census reported that 534 people (96.6% of the population) lived in households and 19 (3.4%) were institutionalized.
There were 246 households, out of which 63 (25.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 104 (42.3%) were married-couple households, 18 (7.3%) were cohabiting couple households, 62 (25.2%) had a female householder with no partner present, and 62 (25.2%) had a male householder with no partner present. 83 households (33.7%) were one person, and 37 (15.0%) were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.17. There were 139 families (56.5% of all households).{{cite web |title=Bridgeport CDP, California; P16: Household Type - 2020 Census of Population and Housing |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDHC2020.P16?g=1600000US0608240 |website=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 9, 2025}}
The age distribution was 98 people (17.7%) under the age of 18, 30 people (5.4%) aged 18 to 24, 147 people (26.6%) aged 25 to 44, 166 people (30.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 112 people (20.3%) who were 65{{nbsp}}years of age or older. The median age was 45.2{{nbsp}}years. For every 100 females, there were 116.9 males.
There were 349 housing units at an average density of {{convert|16.1|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}, of which 246 (70.5%) were occupied. Of these, 136 (55.3%) were owner-occupied, and 110 (44.7%) were occupied by renters.
Tourism
Formerly known as Big Meadows, Bridgeport is annually visited by thousands of tourists, many of whom come to the area for its well-known trout streams and lakes. Bridgeport Reservoir, Twin Lakes,{{cite web |url=http://www.twinlakeresort.com/ |title=Twin Lakes Resort in the Eastern Sierra - Bridgeport, California |website=www.twinlakeresort.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060819075751/http://www.twinlakeresort.com/ |archive-date=2006-08-19}} Virginia Lakes, Green Creek, the East Walker River, the West Walker River and numerous small tributaries and backcountry lakes offer rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout fishing. The Bridgeport Fish Enhancement Program sponsors fishing tournaments twice per season. Bridgeport also occasionally plays host to the annual E Clampus Vitus celebration.
Bridgeport is known for its backcountry winter recreation. Over 500 miles of cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dogsledding, snowmobiling and multiple-use trails are found around the town, including Virginia Lakes Road, the Sweetwater Range, Buckeye, Bodie Hills and Summers Meadows. Many backcountry bowls can be used for telemarking and cross-country downhilling. Bridgeport is also notable for its proximity to the well-preserved ghost town of Bodie. The Mono County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Climate
Bridgeport experiences a continental climate (Dsb) and featuring cold, relatively snowy winters and dry summers with very warm days and cold mornings.
Average January temperatures in Bridgeport are a maximum of {{convert|43.2|F|C|1}} and a minimum of {{convert|10.3|F|C|1}}. Average July temperatures are a maximum of {{convert|84.9|F|C|1}} and a minimum of {{convert|43.4|F|C|1}}. There are an average of 8.4 days with highs of {{convert|90|F|C|1}} or higher and 15.2 days where the high does not top freezing. With the high altitude, nights are extremely cold, with an average of 243.0 mornings with lows of {{convert|32|F|C|1}} or lower and 17.7 mornings with lows under {{convert|0|F|C|1}}. The record high temperature of {{convert|98|F|C|1}} was on July 11, 2002. The record low temperature of {{convert|−37|F|C|1}} occurred on January 31, 1937. Average annual precipitation is {{convert|10.19|in|mm|1}}. There are an average of 40.4 days with measurable precipitation.
The wettest year was 1983 with {{convert|19.96|in|mm|1}} and the driest was 1966 with {{convert|5.55|in|mm|1}}. The most precipitation in one month was {{convert|7.93|in|mm|1}} during January 2017. The most precipitation in 24 hours was {{convert|2.98|in|mm|1}} on February 2, 1936. Average annual snowfall is {{convert|31.9|in|m|2}}. The snowiest year was 1916 with {{convert|166.0|in|m|2}}, including {{convert|121.0|in|m}} in January 1916. The maximum snow depth was {{convert|51|in|m|2}} on February 25, 1969.
{{Weather box
|location = Bridgeport, California, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1906–present
|single line = Yes
|collapsed = yes
|Jan record high F = 68
|Feb record high F = 71
|Mar record high F = 77
|Apr record high F = 84
|May record high F = 88
|Jun record high F = 94
|Jul record high F = 98
|Aug record high F = 96
|Sep record high F = 94
|Oct record high F = 89
|Nov record high F = 85
|Dec record high F = 72
|Jan avg record high F = 56.1
|Feb avg record high F = 58.3
|Mar avg record high F = 65.6
|Apr avg record high F = 74.3
|May avg record high F = 79.2
|Jun avg record high F = 87.1
|Jul avg record high F = 92.1
|Aug avg record high F = 90.2
|Sep avg record high F = 85.8
|Oct avg record high F = 79.3
|Nov avg record high F = 70.0
|Dec avg record high F = 59.8
|year avg record high F = 92.5
|Jan high F = 43.2
|Feb high F = 45.4
|Mar high F = 52.4
|Apr high F = 59.3
|May high F = 66.8
|Jun high F = 76.7
|Jul high F = 84.9
|Aug high F = 83.6
|Sep high F = 77.6
|Oct high F = 66.5
|Nov high F = 54.7
|Dec high F = 44.6
|year high F =
|Jan mean F = 26.7
|Feb mean F = 29.2
|Mar mean F = 36.3
|Apr mean F = 42.0
|May mean F = 49.2
|Jun mean F = 57.7
|Jul mean F = 64.2
|Aug mean F = 62.3
|Sep mean F = 55.7
|Oct mean F = 45.3
|Nov mean F = 35.8
|Dec mean F = 28.0
|year mean F =
|Jan low F = 10.3
|Feb low F = 13.0
|Mar low F = 20.2
|Apr low F = 24.7
|May low F = 31.7
|Jun low F = 38.6
|Jul low F = 43.4
|Aug low F = 40.9
|Sep low F = 33.7
|Oct low F = 24.1
|Nov low F = 17.0
|Dec low F = 11.5
|year low F =
|Jan avg record low F = -10.7
|Feb avg record low F = -6.1
|Mar avg record low F = 1.5
|Apr avg record low F = 11.6
|May avg record low F = 18.4
|Jun avg record low F = 26.8
|Jul avg record low F = 33.9
|Aug avg record low F = 31.7
|Sep avg record low F = 23.3
|Oct avg record low F = 12.3
|Nov avg record low F = 1.3
|Dec avg record low F = -7.3
|year avg record low F = -16.7
|Jan record low F = -37
|Feb record low F = -29
|Mar record low F = -26
|Apr record low F = -2
|May record low F = 6
|Jun record low F = 10
|Jul record low F = 21
|Aug record low F = 19
|Sep record low F = 7
|Oct record low F = -5
|Nov record low F = -20
|Dec record low F = -31
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 2.01
|Feb precipitation inch = 1.48
|Mar precipitation inch = 0.87
|Apr precipitation inch = 0.62
|May precipitation inch = 0.68
|Jun precipitation inch = 0.44
|Jul precipitation inch = 0.48
|Aug precipitation inch = 0.39
|Sep precipitation inch = 0.23
|Oct precipitation inch = 0.70
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.78
|Dec precipitation inch = 1.51
|year precipitation inch =
|Jan snow inch = 7.4
|Feb snow inch = 8.2
|Mar snow inch = 3.9
|Apr snow inch = 2.4
|May snow inch = 0.8
|Jun snow inch = 0.1
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.3
|Nov snow inch = 1.5
|Dec snow inch = 7.3
|year snow inch =
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 5.1
|Feb precipitation days = 5.4
|Mar precipitation days = 4.5
|Apr precipitation days = 3.2
|May precipitation days = 3.6
|Jun precipitation days = 1.8
|Jul precipitation days = 2.8
|Aug precipitation days = 2.5
|Sep precipitation days = 2.0
|Oct precipitation days = 2.2
|Nov precipitation days = 2.6
|Dec precipitation days = 4.7
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 3.6
|Feb snow days = 3.8
|Mar snow days = 2.6
|Apr snow days = 1.5
|May snow days = 0.6
|Jun snow days = 0.1
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.3
|Nov snow days = 1.0
|Dec snow days = 3.8
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00041072&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access - Station: Bridgeport, CA
|access-date = October 25, 2022
}}
|source 2 = National Weather Service
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=rev
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data - NWS Reno
|access-date = October 25, 2022
}}
}}
Politics
=State=
In the California State Legislature, Bridgeport is in {{Representative|casd|4|fmt=sdistrict}}, and in {{Representative|caad|5|fmt=adistrict}}.{{Cite web
| url = http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html
| title = Statewide Database
| publisher = Regents of the University of California
| access-date = April 11, 2015
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150201113744/http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html
| archive-date = February 1, 2015
| url-status = dead
}}
=Federal=
Bridgeport is in {{Representative|cacd|3|fmt=district}}.{{Cite GovTrack|CA|8|access-date=March 9, 2013}}
=Native Americans=
Bridgeport is the tribal headquarters for the Bridgeport Paiute Indian Colony of California.[http://www.iicocmedia.com/directory/listing.php?id=431 "Bridgeport Paiute Indian Colony."] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713005352/http://www.iicocmedia.com/directory/listing.php?id=431 |date=July 13, 2011 }} IICOC Business Directory. (retrieved 8 Dec 2009)
Education
Bridgeport is in the Eastern Sierra Unified School District, which has its main office in town.{{Cite web |url=http://www.monocoe.k12.ca.us/directory/locations_schools_libraries.php |title=Mono County Office of Education |access-date=2009-06-26 |archive-date=2009-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714025947/http://www.monocoe.k12.ca.us/directory/locations_schools_libraries.php |url-status=dead }} An elementary school and a high school (Eastern Sierra Academy[http://esaonline.org/ School's website] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705100909/http://esaonline.org/ |date=July 5, 2009 }}) are located in Bridgeport. Bridgeport also has a public library.
Appearances in popular culture
- Bridgeport appears in the storyline of the 1947 movie Out of the Past.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commons and category}}
- [http://bridgeportcalifornia.com/ Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce]
{{Mono County, California}}
{{California county seats}}
{{Sierra Nevada}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Census-designated places in California
Category:Census-designated places in Mono County, California
Category:County seats in California
Category:Hot springs of California
Category:Populated places in the Sierra Nevada (United States)
Category:Populated places established in 1864