The locomotive was built for the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company by the West Point Foundry of New York in 1830.

At the time, it was considered one of the fastest modes of transport, taking its passengers "on the wings of wind at the speed of fifteen to twenty-five miles per hour (24 to 40 km/h).

According to Centennial History of South Carolina Railroad, this wrote a new rule in the SCC&RR operating manual that engineers were to remain on station at all times, with the aid of newly hired conductors to manage cars, passengers and switches.

Today, an operable replica of the locomotive is in the hands of the Charleston, SC Chapter, National Railway Historical Society.

On August 6, 2005, the City of Charleston lent it to the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), the original SCRR line's current operator, for five years.