Point Betsie Lighthouse

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    Built in 1858, the Point Betsie Lighthouse marks the southern entrance into the Manitou Passage. Ships were guided by a fourth order Fresnel Lens which remains on display in the lighthouse. The Point Betsie Lighthouse was fully automated in 1983 and the light is still fully operating. The lighthouse served as housing for Coast Guard personnel and their families in more recent history. Currently, the building is owned by Benzie County and maintained by the non-profit group, The Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse. The Point Betsie Lighthouse is easily found off of M-22 at the end of Point Betsie Road. The lighthouse opens for the season on Memorial Day weekend and closes near the end of October. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children 6-12, and free for children under 6. For more specific information on open hours, please visit our website. Opening in June 2022, the Fog Signal Building will have an exhibit on the Shoreline Protection System engineering project. Travel through history to witness the various designs intended to keep Point Betsie Lighthouse in place along a treacherous point extending into Lake Michigan. With higher water levels and exasperated erosion, a team of engineers and state offices have designed a plan to preserve the lighthouse into the future, with construction anticipated to begin in 2023.

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