# Benzie County, Michigan

Benzie County (/bɛnziː/ BEN-zee) 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. At 321 square miles (830 km$^2$), Benzie County is the smallest of the 83 counties in Michigan in terms of land area.
Benzie County is part of the Traverse City metropolitan area. Part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is located within the county. It is also home to Crystal Mountain, one of Michigan's top-rated ski resorts.

## History

Today's Benzie County was originally part of Leelanau County. Leelanau County was separated from Michilimackinac County in 1840, and was attached to Grand Traverse County. In 1863, The northern section of Leelanau County was organized, and the southern section, now named Benzie County, was left attached to Grand Traverse County. Benzie County was organized in its own right in 1869.

### Etymology

The name "Benzie" is derived from the French la rivière aux Bec-scies, "the river of sawbills", 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 860 square miles (2,200 km$^2$), of which 320 square miles (830 km$^2$) is land and 540 square miles (1,400 km$^2$) (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 is to the west, Leelanau County and the Leelanau Peninsula are to the north. Grand Traverse County 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 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 10-mile (16 km) route along the Betsie River and a 5.8-mile (9.3 km) 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. 50 miles (80 km) 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, and others.

### Major highways

* US 31 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.
* M-22 traverses the western edge of the county, providing a scenic drive along the shore of Lake Michigan.
* M-115 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.
Previously, an additional highway, M-168, ran in the village of Elberta, serving the former Ann Arbor Railroad ferry docks. The route was handed back to local control in 2012.

### Adjacent counties

By land
* Leelanau County - north
* Grand Traverse County - 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

## Communities
### City

* Frankfort

### Villages

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

### Census-designated places

* Bendon
* Crystal Downs Country Club
* Crystal Mountain
* Hardwood Acres
* Maple Grove
* Nessen City
* Pilgrim

### Other unincorporated communities

* Crystallia
* Inland Corners
* Platte River
* Wallin
* Weldon

### Ghost towns

* Aral
* Cedar Run
* Watervale

### 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:

## Demographics

As of the 2000 census, there were 15,998 people, 6,500 households, and 4,595 families residing in the county. By 2020, its population was 17,970.
In 2000, 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.

## 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 a Republican-leaning bellwether county, with 2012 and 2020 being the only two presidential elections it did not vote for the national winner from 1980 on as of 2024.
United States presidential election results for Benzie County, Michigan :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 6,895 | 53.57% | 5,780 | 44.91% | 196 | 1.52% |
| 2020 | 6,601 | 53.83% | 5,480 | 44.69% | 181 | 1.48% |
| 2016 | 5,539 | 54.16% | 4,108 | 40.16% | 581 | 5.68% |
| 2012 | 5,075 | 51.26% | 4,685 | 47.32% | 141 | 1.42% |
| 2008 | 4,687 | 45.47% | 5,451 | 52.88% | 171 | 1.66% |
| 2004 | 5,284 | 54.04% | 4,383 | 44.83% | 111 | 1.14% |
| 2000 | 4,172 | 51.68% | 3,546 | 43.93% | 354 | 4.39% |
| 1996 | 2,856 | 42.09% | 3,081 | 45.41% | 848 | 12.50% |
| 1992 | 2,438 | 35.58% | 2,715 | 39.62% | 1,699 | 24.80% |
| 1988 | 3,240 | 56.52% | 2,437 | 42.52% | 55 | 0.96% |
| 1984 | 3,590 | 65.25% | 1,866 | 33.91% | 46 | 0.84% |
| 1980 | 3,054 | 55.55% | 1,842 | 33.50% | 602 | 10.95% |
| 1976 | 3,085 | 61.23% | 1,891 | 37.53% | 62 | 1.23% |
| 1972 | 2,686 | 66.26% | 1,310 | 32.31% | 58 | 1.43% |
| 1968 | 2,138 | 60.91% | 1,147 | 32.68% | 225 | 6.41% |
| 1964 | 1,674 | 45.71% | 1,983 | 54.15% | 5 | 0.14% |
| 1960 | 2,484 | 65.45% | 1,306 | 34.41% | 5 | 0.13% |
| 1956 | 2,620 | 71.18% | 1,046 | 28.42% | 15 | 0.41% |
| 1952 | 2,752 | 73.04% | 980 | 26.01% | 36 | 0.96% |
| 1948 | 2,013 | 65.17% | 964 | 31.21% | 112 | 3.63% |
| 1944 | 2,026 | 64.48% | 1,084 | 34.50% | 32 | 1.02% |
| 1940 | 2,320 | 61.62% | 1,429 | 37.95% | 16 | 0.42% |
| 1936 | 1,742 | 47.62% | 1,686 | 46.09% | 230 | 6.29% |
| 1932 | 1,595 | 50.22% | 1,432 | 45.09% | 149 | 4.69% |
| 1928 | 1,849 | 84.28% | 321 | 14.63% | 24 | 1.09% |
| 1924 | 1,922 | 73.84% | 198 | 7.61% | 483 | 18.56% |
| 1920 | 1,520 | 72.00% | 422 | 19.99% | 169 | 8.01% |
| 1916 | 900 | 47.19% | 770 | 40.38% | 237 | 12.43% |
| 1912 | 568 | 29.69% | 326 | 17.04% | 1,019 | 53.27% |
| 1908 | 1,437 | 62.97% | 551 | 24.15% | 294 | 12.88% |
| 1904 | 1,582 | 74.06% | 295 | 13.81% | 259 | 12.13% |
| 1900 | 1,472 | 66.28% | 626 | 28.19% | 123 | 5.54% |
| 1896 | 1,366 | 60.39% | 803 | 35.50% | 93 | 4.11% |
| 1892 | 774 | 52.47% | 498 | 33.76% | 203 | 13.76% |
| 1888 | 710 | 57.58% | 412 | 33.41% | 111 | 9.00% |
| 1884 | 556 | 54.89% | 380 | 37.51% | 77 | 7.60% |
The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, 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: Kyle Rosa
* County Clerk: Dawn Olney
* County Treasurer: Michelle L. Thompson
* Register of Deeds: Amy Bissell
* Drain Commissioner: Edward Hoogterp
* County Surveyor: John Smendzuik
(information as of September 2005)

## Education

The Northwest Educational Services, based in Traverse City, services the students in the county along with those of Antrim, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, and Leelanau. The intermediate school district offers regional special education services, early education and English learner programs, and technical career pathways for students of its districts.
Benzie County is served by the following regular public school districts:
* Benzie County Central Schools, which serves most of the county, including Benzonia, Beulah, Honor, Lake Ann, and Thompsonville
* Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools, which serves the west of the county, including Frankfort and Elberta
* Glen Lake Community Schools, which serves a small portion of Platte Township
* Traverse City Area Public Schools, which serves a small portion of Almira Township
Benzie County has one private school, the New Covenant Christian Academy (Christian).