A wrought iron Pratt Thru-Truss bridge built in 1882 at this Wills Creek crossing replaced the original timber bridge constructed by Samuel Watters in 1833. The crossing served as the head of rafting stations used by lumbermen to float products down to the Potomac River, and it became a vital part of the main north-south transportation route along the Londonderry Valley, from Manns Choice to the Maryland state line. Much of present-day State Route 96 follows the original public road laid out in 1814. The 1882 bridge was built by the Columbia Bridge Works Company of Dayton, Ohio, and stood here for 114 years until it was replaced in 1996-1997 because of flood damage and general deterioration of structural components.