Point Betsie is significant as the opening to the Manitou Passage for ships heading north. It was at this spot where a captain decided to turn out into the lake or inwards toward the Passage. This point of land is well-known for its windswept, isolated character. As John Wagner stated in his book "Michigan Lighthouses: An Aerial Perspective": "By the time I reached Point Betsie, the wind must have been blowing at thirty-five knots plus, and the waves were crashing against the breakwater in a frenzy." The light was constructed in 1858 at a cost of $3,000 and was called the "Point Aux Bec Scies" lighthouse. This point of land is translated from the French as "sawed beak point". The original 37 foot tower was replaced by a 100 foot structure in 1880 and houses a Fourth Order Fresnel lens. It was not fully automated until 1983, the last manned lighthouse on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. It now serves as a Coast Guard residence.

CLICK FOR LARGER PHOTO ©1999 Thomas Kachadurian

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