Sidney Word Lee founded the Buffalo Rock Company in 1901 in Birmingham and created Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale, a medicinal tonic first used in the Civil War. His vision and influential support inspired the construction of this road across Double Oak Mountain, connecting Coosa Valley to more developed land in the Cahaba Valley. Work began on Highway 25 in 1914 and was completed in 1921. At the time, no other roads existed on the mountain, and early settlers called the path the Winding Stair Trail. Highway 25 provided access to Lee's 3000-acre camp in Calcis, an area Lee claimed to be the most beautiful in the world. He often brought friends and family to vacation there, and local denizens reported that his many visits included gifts of fruit and candy for the children of the region.