Benzie County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 17,970. The county seat is Beulah. The county was initially set off in 1863 and organized in 1869.County place names
At 321 square miles (831 km²), Benzie County is the smallest of the 83 counties in Michigan in terms of land area. Benzie County is part of the Traverse City micropolitan area. Part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is located within the county. Frankfort Lighthouse IMG 2776 (4674091249)

Frankfort Lighthouse IMG 2776 (4674091249)

History

Benzie County was set off from

Leelanau County Leelanau may refer to a number of articles relating to the region of the northwestern Lower Peninsula of Michigan: Geography Settlements * Leelanau County, Michigan * Leelanau Township, Michigan * Lake Leelanau, Michigan Landforms * Lak ...

in 1863, and for legal purposes, attached to

Grand Traverse County Grand Traverse County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 95,238, making it the largest county in Northern Michigan. Its county seat is Traverse City. The county is part of the Trave ...

. The county was organized in 1869.

Etymology

The name "Benzie" is derived from the French ', "the river of

sawbill ''Mergus'' is the genus of the typical mergansers , fish-eating ducks in the subfamily Anatinae. The genus name is a Latin word used by Pliny the Elder and other Roman authors to refer to an unspecified waterbird. The common merganser (''Merg ...

s", ''bec-scie'' ("bill-saw") being a type of ducks. Americans altered the pronunciation of the river's name, which became known as the " Betsie River". A similar alteration in pronunciation produced "Benzie".

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (63%) is water. It is the smallest county in Michigan by land area. Benzie County is located in the northwest of the Lower Peninsula, in the "little finger" position of the mitten-shaped peninsula and is considered to be part of the Northern Michigan region.

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...

is to the west,

and the Leelanau Peninsula are to the north.

and Traverse City are to the east. Wexford County is to the southeast and Manistee County to the south. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore extends into the northwest portion of the county. Crystal Lake is a prominent physical feature of the area. The Platte River rises out of a lake district around Lake Ann in the northeast of the county and flows southwest and the northwest into

Big Platte Lake Platte Lake (sometimes referred to as Big Platte Lake) is one of the many lakes located in the northwestern part of Michigan's lower peninsula. There are two lakes in Benzie County, Michigan based on the name Platte, the other being Little Platt ...

before emptying into Lake Michigan at Platte River Point. The Betsie River rises in neighboring Grand Traverse County, flowing southwest across the southeast corner of the county into Manistee County, where it bends northwest until just south of Benzonia where it receives the outflow of Crystal Lake and then flows mostly west through Elberta and Frankfort and into Lake Michigan. Portions of the Pere Marquette State Forest lie within the county and offer several trails including a route along the Betsie River and a trail near Lake Ann. There are state forest campgrounds at Platte River and Lake Ann. The Betsie River State Game Area is located just east of Elberta. of the Betsie River is a state-designated Natural River from Grass Lake, just west of the Grand Traverse County line, to its inlet into Lake Betsie just east of Elberta. The natural and scenic richness of the area has made it a host to a variety of conservation, education, and recreation programs, including Crystalaire, the

Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy {{COI, date=August 2011 The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (GTRLC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Traverse City, Michigan. It is an independent organization with its own by-laws, policies, board, staff, and budget. The org ...

, and others.

Major highways

* enters the county from the south, passes through Benzonia and Beulah on the south end of Crystal Lake before turning to exit the county to the east. * traverses the western edge of the county, providing a scenic drive along the shore of Lake Michigan. * enters the county from the south, angling northwest, and merges with US 31 for a couple of miles until Benzonia where M-115 continues west to end in Frankfort. * was one of the shortest state highways in Michigan, extending from a junction with M-22 in downtown Elberta northwest to the former Ann Arbor Railroad ferry docks.

Adjacent counties

By land *

- north *

- east * Manistee County - south * Wexford County - adjacent at the southeast corner By water * Door County, Wisconsin - northwest across Lake Michigan * Kewaunee County, Wisconsin - southwest across Lake Michigan

Demographics

As of the 2000 census, there were 15,998 people, 6,500 households, and 4,595 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 10,312 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.39% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 1.59% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. 1.46% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.0% were of German, 13.5% Polish, 9.2% Irish, 7.6%

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

, 6.0% British and 5.0%

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

ancestry. 96.8% spoke English and 1.9% Spanish as a first language. There were 6,500 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.86. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.4 males. The median income for a household in the county was $37,350, and the median income for a family was $42,716. Males had a median income of $30,218 versus $21,730 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,524. About 4.7% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

* Benzie County is part of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Gaylord The Diocese of Gaylord ( la, Diœcesis Gaylordensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the Northern Michigan region of the United States. It comprises the twenty-one most northern counties of the lo ...

Government

For most of its history, Benzie County has primarily supported Republican presidential candidates, with the only times they failed to carry to the county prior to 1992 being in 1912 & 1964. Starting with the 1992 election, the county has become more of a swing county, with 2012 and 2020 being the only two presidential elections it did not vote for the national winner from 1980 on as of 2020. The county government operates the

jail A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...

, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains

vital records Vital records are records of life events kept under governmental authority, including birth certificates, marriage licenses (or marriage certificates), separation agreements, divorce certificates or divorce party and death certificates. In some ...

, administers public health regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of welfare and other social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget but has only limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions — police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance, etc. — are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

Elected officials

* Prosecuting Attorney: Sara Swanson *

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

: Kyle Rosa *

County Clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service ...

: Dawn Olney *

County Treasurer A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

: Michelle L. Thompson * Register of Deeds: Amy Bissell *

Drain Commissioner A drain commissioner is an elected official in county government of the U.S. state of Michigan who is responsible for planning, developing and maintaining surface water drainage systems under Public Act 40 of 1956. In counties with a population unde ...

: Edward Hoogterp * County Surveyor: John Smendzuik (information as of September 2005)

Historic locations

There are eight historical markers in the County: * Benzonia College * Benzonia Congregational Church * Bruce Catton * Car Ferries on Lake Michigan * Joyfield Cemetery * Marquette's Death * Mills Community House * Pacific Salmon

Communities

City

* Frankfort

Villages

* Benzonia * Beulah (county seat) * Elberta * Honor * Lake Ann * Thompsonville

Census-designated places

* Bendon *

Crystal Downs Country Club Crystal Downs Country Club is a private country club and unincorporated community in Benzie County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The community is located within Lake Township on the shores of Lake Michigan. For statistical purposes, the Unite ...

* Crystal Mountain * Hardwood Acres * Maple Grove * Nessen City * Pilgrim

Townships

* Almira Township * Benzonia Township * Blaine Township * Colfax Township * Crystal Lake Township * Gilmore Township * Homestead Township * Inland Township * Joyfield Township * Lake Township * Platte Township * Weldon Township

Indian reservations

* The Grand Traverse Indian Reservation, which has territory in five counties, occupies a small area in southern Joyfield Township in Benzie County.

Ghost towns

* Allyn Station (Pratts) * Almira * Aral * Cedar Run * Edgewater * Gilmore * Grant House (Homestead) * Homestead * Inland * Joyfield * Kentville * Melva * Osborn * Oviat * Platte * Playtte River (Melva) * Pratts * Stormer * Success (Ransom Creek) * Wallin * Weldon Source:Dodge, Roy L., ''Michigan Ghost Towns of the Lower Peninsula''

References

External links

Benzie Area Visitors Bureau

Benzie County Chamber of Commerce

Benzie County official website
{{authority control Michigan counties Traverse City micropolitan area 1869 establishments in Michigan Populated places established in 1869