Nestled in the foothills of the Kiamichi Mountains, the lush forests were a welcome home for the Choctaw Indians, who ended up in the area after being driven from their home in the east. They called the area Con-Chito. However, the forests were also attractive to lumber companies, like the conveniently named "Choctaw Lumber Company," ran by Herman and Fred Dierks from Broken Bow, Nebraska. They acquired rights to 230 acres and in 1911 set up a town for the employees of what became the largest timber processing mill in the United States.