Osgood House History
Coloma, Michigan

In the early days of Coloma, there was an inn known as the Osgood Inn or Osgood Hotel. In the old stage coach days, many a traveller used it to rest at when it was then known as “The Osgood Inn” It was built, by what the old timers could recall before the wrecking ball brought it down in 1927, at least 75 years previous. Using a little simple math, this would bring the date to at least 1852. Before being razed in 1927, it was the oldest building in existence in the town. A log cabin was on the site where the building was later constructed as related by: Mr. A. W. Baker. He further stated that he attended school for one term in the building and that Peter Merrifield was the teacher. Later this same building would be converted into a hotel which became known as "Osgood House". In the olden days the old stage coach went right through Coloma on what was known as the St. Joseph road, so the hotel was one of the popular stopping places due to the slow pace of travel. Sherman Vincent was another of the landlords and he sold the place to G. F. Brayton who purchased the property in about 1885 and renamed it at the Hotel Brayton. He operated the hotel for many years until he turned it over to his daughter, Mrs. M. C. Teeter. It later picked up the name as the "Teeter House" by local folks. The building was no longer used as a hotel commencing in about 1897 and turned into a private residence. Even though the building was built of the very best materials available for its time, by the mid 1920's it was really showing its age with some of the timbers exposed. The hotel contained approximately 15 rooms. Mrs. L. S. Guy, granddaughter of G. F. Brayton, was of the strong opinion the lot was worth more without the building on it and arranged for a Mr. August Frick, the razing of the structure and clearing of the lot. Many of the timbers and some of the 14 inch square hand-hewed whitewood sills were in excellent condition and would be used for other structures later on. Article assembled and contributed by: Deanna Branson West