Constructed in 1862, the tramway was used to transport pig iron from the Bibb County Ironworks Furnace to a rolling mill site and railroad near the town of Brierfield. In 1863, the furnace and rolling mill were purchased by the Confederacy to supply the Selma Arsenal with raw material for manufacturing armaments. The tramway, extending just over two miles, has remained primarily intact through the years. In November 2002, Hancock Timber Resource Group worked cooperatively with the Alabama Historic Ironworks Commission, Alabama Historic Commission, and the Chemical Lime Company to permanently protect the tramway corridor through transfer of ownership to the state of Alabama.