Other trestles constructed since that time are longer, such as the Hi-Line Railroad Bridge in Valley City, North Dakota, which is 3,860 feet (1,180 m) long.

The viaduct was constructed by Indianapolis Southern Railway and secretly financed by Illinois Central Railroad.

It was built for train travel to transport coal from Greene County mines to large cities, such as Chicago.

The Indiana Rail Road has retained the graffiti: the thickness of the paint prevents rain and snow from rusting the metal, thus preserving the structure.

It was built using 2,700 short tons (2,400 t) of steel and is composed of individual 40-foot (12 m) and 74-foot (23 m) spans supported by eighteen towers.