Welcome to Benzie County

Welcome to this website which is a part of MIGenWeb and USGenWeb^®, a network of websites that provide free online genealogical information. This county is currently available for adoption.  For more information contact our state coordinator.

The name of the county is taken from the French al riviere aux Bec-scies, which means river of sawbills, referring to the ducks known as such.  Over time, the river's name was altered to the Betsie River.  And that in turn was altered to Benzie.

Benzie County was created on February 27, 1863, from Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties. It was organized March 30, 1869. The county seat is Beulah. In land area, Benzie County is the smallest of Michigan's 83 counties.