By Terry E. Wantz

Lake Post Office was established March 19, 1869 with Renessalaer Brace as Postmaster. The office was established in the "Buck Horn" tavern, located on the Grand Rapids and Newaygo State Road in Section 30 of what is now Grant Township. Mr. Brace came to this area from New York state in 1860 and took up a government land grant. In 1862 he built a large log structure, known as Buck Horn Tavern. It was the only stopping place between the Village of Newaygo and Grand Rapids. At times as many as 14 covered wagons were parked around the Inn as passengers sought rest and a night’s lodging. There was a large hall in the rear where the men slept and a large room upstairs where the women and children slept. A large rack of deer horns from a buck shot by Wesley W. Averill hung on the front of the tavern for many years, hence the name Buck Horn Tavern. Later when the Grand Rapids, Newaygo and Lake Shore Railroad came through the post office was moved two miles west to Ashland City but keep the name Lake Post Office. Ashland City was located two mile south of what is now Grant which was called Ashland Station at that time. Two miles west of Ashland Station was Ashland Center, two miles south of Ashland Center was Ashland Corners which was also two miles west of Ashland City. This made four settlement in a four miles square with Ashland in the name making it very confusing for the postal service.