The Starlake Post Office is the key institution of the town, giving the community its only official recognition of the name No topic [name star lake]--though the official spelling of the Post Office Department, now the United States Postal Service, for about a century was "Starlake"--one word. Note on the name "Star Lake." The records cited at the entry were completely consistent: The official records referring to the post office made it one word. When other postmasters in the area referred to it, they always used two words. See entries at: Buswell, Conover, Kundson, Oxley, and Sayner.

Today the Post Office is a Community Post Office, i.e. a contract station subordinate to the Sayner postmaster. The first contract operator was Gary Errington, who owned and operated the Star Lake Store in which the Post Office is located. Gary's sister, Debbie, became the contract operator of the post office when she took over operation of the store. (In 2011 when Mike and Sarah Errington ran the store, Debbie continued to operate the post office). The Post Office was established in 1895 with the appointment of the first postmaster, Allen E. Williams.

When Star Lake was the end of the line for the Milwaukee Road Railroad, the Star Lake Post Office was a hub for the distribution of mail. This is clear from many references to Star Lake in the records of other Vilas County post offices. See United States Postal Service.

Star Lake Postmasters\n

• Allen E. Williams, appointed August 17, 1895
• Benjamin F. Wilson, appointed March 2, 1898
• Herbert D. Wake, appointed October 19, 1910
• Jacob O. Mykleby, appointed August 29, 1914 (deceased July 1, 1935)
• Elsie Mykleby, acting August 3, 1935, apppointed February 17, 1936 (deceased December 17, 1959)
• Lynne Haywood, acting July 1, 1960, appointed December 1, 1960. Name changed to Lynne Olson on PO records on October 5, 1961. Retired March 31, 1995.

Lynne was the last Starlake Postmaster.

A railway post office operated between Star Lake and New Lisbon from 1903 to 1915 and from 1934 to 1938. It's postmark read, "STARLAKE & NEW LISBON R.P.O." See: Leet: Railway Postmarks of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.

**** indicates no known author.

Major References

Minor References

+++//MINOCQUA TIMES// REFERENCE TO WILLIAMS FIRST POSTMASTER

The November 6, 1895, issue of the //Minocqua Times// stated: "A. E. Williams, of the firm of Williams, Salsich & Co. of Star Lake, spent Monday in the city. Ahe reports things lively at that berg. He has recently been appointed postmagter [sic] at that place." ##931 Times## Actual appointment date was August 17, 1895.