There are a couple of sources which state the bridge spans Clayton Fish Pond, but that is over a mile (2 kilometers) west of the park along a rural section of Hinds Road.

The Gilliland-Reese Covered Bridge was constructed in 1899 by a crew under the direction of Etowah County Commissioner Jesse Gilliland...a Town Lattice truss made of rough-hewn lumber and covered with weathered shingles, originally located over Little Wills Creek at Gilliland Plantation in the vicinity of present-day Bethany Sitz Gap Road near Reece City (Coordinates 34°04′17.66″N 86°01′50.67″W / 34.0715722°N 86.0307417°W / 34.0715722; -86.0307417 (34.071572, -86.030742)).

The bridge provided a crossing over the creek, thus improving area transportation, and also was a favorite meeting place.

In 1966, the bridge was donated to the City of Gadsden by the family of Judge H. Ross Gilliland as it was threatened by the construction of Interstate 59.

Most of the Town Lattice truss setup was removed during restoration, making the bridge more of a Stringer construction.