Three structures crossed Tray Run Valley beginning with the first, built in 1852, which was then the largest viaduct in the world. That first structure was a cast iron bridge and was replaced in 1887 by a wrought iron structure, which in turn was replaced by the stone structure built in 1907. During the Civil War, the bridge was a major target for the Confederate Army, but Jones Raid of 1863 failed to damage or destroy it. Before the 1907 design, the structures had viewing platforms on each side for rail passengers, many of whom were traveling to nearby Clements Fountain, also called the Flower Garden by the railroad. Doddridge County resident and artist Joseph H. Diss Debar included the viaduct in drawings submitted to the Legislature when the state seal was adopted, and the reverse side of the West Virginia State Seal depicts the structure.