Into the Beehive

West Virginia only has sixteen National Historic Landmarks (not to be confused with listings on the National Register of Historic Places). One of these landmarks is the Elkins Coal and Coke Company Historic District, locally referred to as the Bretz Beehive Ovens. The beehive style ovens were thought to be the very last when they ceased operation in 1980. Now they sit silently across from a quiet stretch of the Decker’s Creek Rail Trail near Masontown, West Virginia.

Masontown, despite its proximity to Morgantown, is a fairly isolated community. From Morgantown it is a curvy, windy trip on WV Route 7, wedged between either a cliff or the hillside and Decker’s Creek. From the road, the Decker’s Creek Rail Trail follows the opposite side of the creek. Masontown is appropriately named because just before arriving in town one passes the Greer Limestone Quarry.

The Masontown trailhead for the Decker’s Creek Rail Trail is a few blocks shy of downtown. Unlike a number of the other trailheads, this one is a broad green space suitable for picnicking and sunbathing. As we began to make our way toward the ovens and a geocache we passed a bicyclist and saw all sorts of evidence of life.

What I probably love most about rail trails in particular is the chance, if you look carefully, to see modern ruins. Looking up hillsides and under modern bridges, you’ll find hints of the past. But all trails connect users with the natural world. This is a good thing, and I’ll even be the first to admit a severe smartphone addiction.

An old concrete booth from the trail's past life

Despite it being early March, we never escaped the sounds of other humans. We heard the gears of bicycles whirring, four-wheelers snarling, and tractors popping. It was even comforting as we navigated through the wonders of the environment. But it probably did keep the other animals away. I’m not sure how much of a problem I have with that, this is black bear country.

The beehives were both grand and diminutive. When we arrived they seemed to line the hillside as far as the eye could see, there were 140 of them. But the ovens, or what’s left of them, were squat and covered in weeds. From the trail alone it is impossible to fully grasp the significance. Indeed, it would be an asset to the trail to have a kiosk to offer visits an introduction to their significance.

The remains of the beehive ovens

By the view of the ovens is a collapsing wooden railroad trestle that carried trains off the mainline (now the trail) to collect the coke from the ovens. The temptation is great to cross the creek to get a closer look, but safety must always come first and private property must always be respected. We settled on photographs and hope to access the ovens legally someday.

The old rail access to the ovens

The trip back to the car was a flash, but for our effort, we were hungry and thirsty, so we went into Masontown to satisfy our needs. A few sodas and sandwiches don’t contribute much to the local economy, but if you multiply this number by all or even half of that trailhead’s guests, the trail is paid for.

And in three days, this blog will celebrate a year of sharing stories from the roads, rails, and the land under my feet. Thank you for reading!