Grant township was organized in October 1866.

The town contains one Methodist Episcopal and one Second Adventist church, four school buildings and a town hall, the latter built at a cost of eight hundred dollars. There is one small saw-mill in the town, employing about eight hands. It is a thrifty farming community.

From Sprague's History of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw Counties Michigan Edited and compiled by Elvin L. Sprague, Esq. And Mrs. George N. Smith. Published 1903 by B. F. Bowen

"Karlin, Grand Traverse County: this village in Grant Township began with a station on the Manistee & Northeastern Railroad; sawmill owner Edward Wilson became its first postmaster on July 12, 1897; both the depot and the post office were named Horicon but were renamed Karlin on April 6, 1903, after a town in Czechoslovakia whence a number of the settlers had come."

From "Michigan Place Names" by Walter Romig, L.H.D.