A granite basin stood over a spring on a toll road built in 1820 under the direction of Joel Poinsett, South Carolina's first Commissioner of Public Works. The road established commercial links between South Carolina and the neighboring states of Tennessee and North Carolina, and Poinsett's Spring in northern Greenville County provided refreshment for weary travelers. In 1956, the road through Saluda Gap was abandoned, and the historic basin was donated to the Poinsett Hotel. Built in 1820, the Poinsett Bridge is the oldest bridge in South Carolina. Its 14-foot Gothic arch spans a creek that was part of the state road running from Charleston to North Carolina, and from this spot the bridge is 25 miles north of the city.