Elkins Coal and Coke Company Historic District

The Elkins Coal and Coke Company Historic District contains roughly 140 stone and brick ovens arranged in rows across the landscape near Deckers Creek. The ovens showcase early 20th-century construction methods and industrial design.

The facility began operations in 1907 and processed coal into coke for steel mills nationwide. Bethlehem Steel acquired it in 1918, reflecting its importance to the growing steel industry.

The ovens reveal how workers transformed coal into coke daily, a crucial fuel for steel mills across the region. Visitors can still sense the industrial labor that shaped this entire landscape.

The site lies just over a mile from Masontown and is easily reached by local roads. The grounds are open to explore, but the terrain is uneven, so wear sturdy shoes and allow time to walk through the rows of ovens.

Each of the 140 ovens was hand-built with cut stone and refractory brick designed to withstand extreme heat. This crafted construction method is rare today and shows the specialized skill early factory workers possessed.

Location: West Virginia

Elevation above the sea: 521 m

GPS coordinates: 39.54500,-79.80970

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:01