A place called Muse, having been established in Indian Territory on October 1, 1896, became a logging company town renamed Pine Valley on December 16, 1926.[1] (A new town called Muse was established on May 11, 1927, at a slightly different location.)[1] The logging enterprise, called the Pine Valley Lumber Company, a subsidiary of Dierks Lumber & Coal Company,[2] ran a railway that same year from Page, Oklahoma into Pine Valley, about 17 miles, said line being located in the area of a long ridge across parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas known as Rich Mountain.[2][3][4] Operationally, the railroad carried mostly wood products; however, it was a common carrier, so it did also provide passenger service.[2] It interconnected with the Kansas City Southern Railway at Page.[2]
At its peak, Pine Valley had a population of about 1,500.[2] However, over time the depletion of the forests started to dry up both operations in the town and traffic for the railroad.[2] In 1942, the railroad was abandoned, and Pine Valley became essentially a ghost town soon after.[2] (Muse continues to exist, with a population of several hundred.)[5]
