Bristol was founded because of the railroad. When surveyors picked this spot for the railway, an enterprising man by the name Joseph R. Anderson began to develop the area. The first train station on this spot was opened in 1856, but was burned down during the Civil War by Union forces. It was hastily rebuilt in 1867, before a new, but small station replaced it in 1881. This current structure was built in 1902.

​

At one time, more than 20 passenger trains would pull in and out of this station daily. During the early years there was a break in the tracks at the state line due to different size track gauges. This required passengers, livestock and freight to detrain and reboard another train on the adjacent track on the other side of the state line.