Postcard showing a photo of the third Barney Tavern built in 1842, located at 1278 West Main Street (now West Michigan Avenue) in Urbandale. Nathaniel Barney came to Battle Creek on March 9, 1833 and built a tavern on a hill just west of the confluence of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Rivers. This building, still standing in 2010, was originally constructed on his farm west of town and served as his third tavern, housing travelers from Battle Creek to Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. From: Everts, L. H. & Co. History of Calhoun County, Michigan... Philadelphia: Everts, 1877. "Touching this gentleman, we quote verbatim from A. D. P. Van Buren: 'Of this pioneer tavern-keeper of Battle Creek the people retain kindly recollections. it would be very difficult to find two words more inseparably connected with the memory of the early days of Battle Creek than these old familiar words 'Barney's Tavern.' The old log hostelry on the hill, just west of the creek, and the kind-hearted old landlord, whose hospitality has been extended to so many emigrants and travelers during the settlement of this part of the State, will be long remembered. Nathaniel Barney and his family came from Chautauqua county, New York, arriving at Battle Creek March 9, 1833. He and his son-in-law, General Ezra Convis, were two of the original proprietors of Battle Creek. He was made postmaster of the new town in 1834. He also, at an early day, carried the mail from Marshall, by way of Gull prairie, to Kalamazoo. After keeping tavern for a number of years in the old log building near the creek he settled down two miles northwest, and there was landlord and farmer also. At this time he died, October 18, 1856.. His sons, Milton and Oliver, yet live near the old homestead, in Bedford Township. Typed on back: Old time home in Battle Creek before Civil War Days.