In 1854, Ananias J. Peugh settled the land, in the middle of Section 32, where the village of Conklin would be located.  Oscar F. Conklin, who later purchased the land, established a small settlement there.  O. F. Conklin built a small general store to serve the needs of the farmers rapidly settling in the area. 

When the Grand Rapids and Indiana (GR & I) railroad began construction of a route from Grand Rapids to Muskegon June 18, 1886, Mr. Conklin convinced the railroad that the best route would pass through the southwest corner of Chester Township.  Mr. Conklin sold the right-of-way through his land for $74.80 an acre and also convinced the railroad to build a depot on what had been his land.  The West Chester Station was constructed.  The first train arrived at the station on December 1, 1886.  In 1887, the railroad changed the name to Conklin Station.    The rail line has since been abandonded and the depot demolished.  The railroad right-of-way is now the Musketawa Trail.

Before the coming of the railroad, the early settlers in this area had no direct mail service.   Stage coaches delivered the mail to post offices along their routes - Six Corners and Big Springs.  In 1887, the year following the establishment of West Chester Station, a post office opened there.  Mr. Conklin made a trip to Washington, requesting that the post office be named Conklin.  At this time the community was called West Chester.  Mr. Conklin’s request was granted and the post office and the community became known as Conklin.  Henry A. Miller was the first postmaster.

During the next few years, many more people settled in Conklin and the surrounding area.  New businesses were established to meet the needs of the farmers and others now living nearby.  Some of the businesses included a hotel, tavern, drug store, blacksmith shop, hardware and implement store, feed store, grist mill, and lumber mill.  Over the years, Conklin businesses included:  attorney’s office, bank, barber shop, billiard hall, blacksmith’s shop, carpet & paint store, clock & watch repair store, construction company, creamery, doctor’s office, drug store, dry goods store, Ford car dealership, Ford tractor dealership, funeral parlor, furniture store, gas station, general store, grain elevator, grist mill, grocery store, hardware store, hotel, insurance office, John Deere dealership, lumber yard, millinery shop, newspaper office, real estate office, restaurant, saw mill, shoe store, and tavern.