The Bretz coke ovens in Preston County are part of the Elkins Coal & Coke Company Historic District. They were among the last “beehive” coke ovens still used in West Virginia. Built around 1903 and expanded by Stephen B. Elkins, they turned coal into coke for making steel.

The ovens operated on and off for decades, finally closing in 1981. Because they are an important example of early coal and steel production, the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.