It was constructed on the former Penn-Ohio Electric System trolley line along the Mahoning River in 1983, adjacent to the CSX New Castle Subdivision tracks.

Considered an early example of rail-trails, its 1983 construction was dependent on a donation from the Stavich family, who ran many aluminum mills in the Youngstown area.

Originally, many of these streetcar lines were built by numerous companies, but merged into the Mahoning & Shenango Railway and Light System in 1905.

[4] In 1983, thanks to a donation from the Stavich family, who were a local aluminum tycoon, construction commenced on the nearly 10-mile long trail between the two cities.

Another proposed route continues the trail along the CSX railroad tracks info Mahoningtown, although this is a lower priority to the downtown connection.