Coke ovens are used to produce coke from coal. The coal is heated up in the ovens, which removes most of the gases from the coal, thus turning it into coke. Coke is used as an industrial fuel because it burns with immense heat. Coke was a vital material used to produce iron in the furnaces.

The Cherry Valley Coke Ovens were constructed in 1866 by the Leetonia Iron & Coal Company. The company eventually changed their name to the Cherry Valley Iron Works. The coke was used to fuel the huge iron furnace operation at Leetonia, as-well as the other iron furnaces in the northeast part of the state. The operation ceased in the 1930's, due to the Great Depression.

Originally, horses were used to haul the coal carts. Numerous barns were located on the property to house the animals. A track was eventually constructed on top of the ovens. An electric cab locomotive ran along the tracks, dumping coal directly into the top of the ovens. The locomotive was built by the legendary Jeffrey Manufacturing Company of Columbus.

This site contains the largest collection of coke ovens in the United States. There's roughly 200 ovens total. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.