Benzie County, Michigan
| Benzie County, Michigan | |
|---|---|
 Location in the U.S. state of Michigan |
|
 Michigan's location in the U.S. |
|
| Founded | 1863 (created) 1869 (organized) |
| Named for | Betsie River |
| Seat | Beulah |
| Largest city | Frankfort |
| Area | |
| • Total | 860 sq mi (2,227 km2) |
| • Land | 320 sq mi (829 km2) |
| • Water | 540 sq mi (1,399 km2), 63% |
| Population | |
| • (2010) | 17,525 |
| • Density | 55/sq mi (21/km²) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website | www |
Benzie County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,525. The county seat is Beulah. The county was initially set off in 1863 and organized in 1869.
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". At 321 square miles (831 km²), Benzie County is the smallest of the 83 counties in Michigan.
Benzie County is part of the Traverse City, MI Micropolitan Statistical Area.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 860 square miles (2,200 km2), of which 320 square miles (830 km2) is land and 540 square miles (1,400 km2) (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.
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