This county was originally set off in 1849 and first known as Aishcum after a well-known Potawatomi chief. In 1843 the name was changed to Lake. For three decades it was attached to neighboring counties, until 1871 when settlement was sufficient to warrant organization. Baldwin, the county seat was settled in 1872. The county's forests helped make Michigan a leading lumbering state. Farming and the tourist industry are the chief activities. Wildlife is abundant.