It was backed by C. Jared Ingersoll, a Philadelphia industrialist who owned coal mining properties in Indian Territory (now part of the state of Oklahoma).

[a] The Midland Valley gained access to Fort Smith, Arkansas via trackage rights over the Frisco from Rock Island, Oklahoma.

The same year it opened a branch to the Glenn Pool oil field, which generated a lot of traffic and stimulated MV's revenues.

Service to Wichita ended in 1966, and the northern section of the road was pared back to Barnsdall, Oklahoma.

The Midland Valley was merged into the Texas & Pacific Railroad (T&P), a MoPac subsidiary on April 1, 1967.