Pine Valley
Charlie Fee was a fur trapper who built the first log cabin in Pine Valley in 1866. He was soon joined by stalwart homesteaders who began to arrive in the 1870's. These folks continued to come with the goal of making a homestead claim on 160 acres of land previously owned by the government or buying such a claim from the original homesteader. It was in this way that farming and ranching created a thriving community and economy that was soon joined by mining and logging. Much of the productive ranch land in Pine Valley today is owned by descendants of the early settlers.
Written by Frances Vaughan
Visit Pine Valley Museum 155A East Record Street Halfway OR 97834
Visit Pine Valley Museum 155A East Record Street Halfway OR 97834
If you have photos to share email: pinevalley2050@gmail.com
Visit Pine Valley Museum 155A East Record Street Halfway OR 97834 Visit Pine Valley Museum 155A East Record Street Halfway OR 97834 If you have photos to share email: pinevalley2050@gmail.com
CITY OF HALFWAY
Alex Stalker and his father, who had a store on their ranch between Carson and Langrell, bought ten acres between Langrell and Pine Town and moved their store to the new location. This ten acres is the present site of Halfway. The people in the area wanted an established town, so they sent in for charter naming their new town Midway. When the charter came back their town was named “Halfway”, 1909. Pine Valley Echoes, Volume IV 1984, Pine Valley Museum.
”How Halfway Got Its Name”, courtesy of Hells Canyon Journal Click Here To View More Photos
A Rich History of Mining
Queen of the West was discovered in 1895. Lon Simmon discovered the Simmons Mine early 1800’s. This was hard rock mining. Early 1900’s Allen Town 1/2 mile south of Cornucopia, was moved to Cornucopia, and today the Jail is still on Second Street. The federal government came in and laid out a township of 40 acres called Cornucopia. Baker County foreclosed the mines, in the late 1940’s. Cornucopia was bought and sold several times. The owners are Cornucopia MTN, LLC currently owns approximately 1000 acres around Cornucopia. Dozens of families still have claims up there too.
The movie “Golden Cornucopia”
See the trailer here: Golden Cornucopia
An Era of “Timber”
For years, Pine Valley was home to a half dozen smaller lumber mills until the larger mills took over the market. In the early 1950s a wigwam burner was built which was owned and operated by Still-Pen Lumber Co. They cut timber in Pine Valley and trucked it to Robinette where it was milled, dried, loaded on rail cars and shipped throughout the country. -Dale Taylor President Pine Valley Museum
Click Here To View More Photos
a hub of recreation
Experiencing everything that Pine Valley has to offer has always been a main attraction. All year long, people enjoy the fascinating and majestic outdoors.
