it was deemed too common of a name. Pike, who was originally from Burlington, Vermont, moved to Niles, Michigan and frequently traveled up north through the area. He was so impressed with the location that he wanted to settle in the area in anticipation of the expanding railroad. Pike built his tavern on the west side of Mullett Lake prior to the railroad's construction. He purchased land, opened his business, and platted the community with the hopes that the railroad would pass through the area on its way to the Straits of Mackinac. Another settler built a hotel on the opposite side of the lake with the hopes that the railroad would instead run along the east side of Mullett Lake. In 1881, the Michigan Central Railroad constructed its line on the west side through Pike's property, and this led to the growth of the Topinabee community. The train depot was built the following year. A post office in Topinabee opened on April 17, 1882 with Daniel Stofer serving as the first postmaster. A railroad depot was built near the shores of the lake about north of Indian River. The community centered along the railroad, and Pike's hotel served as a main business for early travelers. The hotel was three stories tall and could accommodate up to 40 guest. The community grew to include a boat launch along the Inland Waterway, a tavern, and a casino. By 1886, trains ran daily through Topinabee. Pike sold many plats of his property to allow settlers to build cottages, and Topinabee became a popular resort community. The community had a population of 34 in 1895. The steamboat Topinabee was established in 1903 along the Inland Waterway. The Topinabee ran daily and took travelers from Oden through the Inland Waterway to Cheboygan with many stops along the way. The steamboat would sometimes head further north to St. Ignace. The steamship would stop in Topinabee for an hour along its route for passengers to have dinner. Several other steamboats also utilized the Inland Waterway, which, in addition to the railroad, brought many people to Topinabee. Pike died in 1900, and Edward Bailey purchased the hotel and renamed it Pike's Summer Tavern. The hotel burned down in 1917 but was rebuilt the next year and named Hotel Topinabee. By this time, Topinabee had an established population and downtown area that included several shops and a bowling