• HOME • About the Lighthouse • About the Friends • Membership & Contributions • Hours, Tours & Events • Rental Apartment   • Point Betsie Marketplace • Photo Galleries • Map • Links Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse P.O. Box 601 Frankfort, MI 49635-0601 231-352-7644 Email Us Gift Shop 231-352-7666 Visitors: A grateful THANKS to Infinite Communications for hosting this site and other Internet services. The Point Betsie photographs courtesy of Jeff Rabidoux at Life On The 45th Parallel, Jay Burt of Walk Softly Photos, and Geoff Fishburn. Web Site © Copyright 2002-2012 by The Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse and ATI Consulting All rights reserved.

The official Web site of The Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse, Inc. The perfect venue for your special event! Lower Michigan, USA Click on map above to go to Maps page. The Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse P.O. Box 601, Frankfort, Michigan, 49635-0601 231-352-7644     Email Us Gift Shop — 231-352-7666 Seasonal weekly rental of the beautiful Assistant Keeper's quarters 2 bedroom apartment is available. Call 231-352-7644 See here for more details and photos We invite you to visit our Point Betsie Marketplace page where you'll find unique gifts.   Point Betsie Light Station's historic structures are the focus of a several-phased renovation program that began upon the station's transfer to Benzie County. Work was completed on the lighthouse exterior and two significant storage buildings in 2006. Visitors to the site see the lighthouse as it appeared a half century ago near the end of World War II, featuring a black lantern atop the white brick tower, a new wood-shingled red roof, and new windows and doors displaying historically accurate colors. Renovation of the Fog Signal Building, which sits immediately north of the lighthouse, is also complete. It, too, was returned to a look not seen in many decades. It’s exterior siding replicates the original iron needed to house the steam boilers that powered the fog signal in pre-electricity times. The exterior and metal interior walls were restored in 2008, enabling the building to house the lighthouse's Sesquicentennial exhibition of juried works of art inspired by Point Betsie's structures and surroundings. Next came the opportunity to rehabilitate Point Betsie Lighthouse’s entire interior, from bottom to top. The first floor is now an exhibition area depicting the history of the lighthouse and the lifesaving operations of the U.S. Lifesaving Service and U.S. Coast Guard at Point Betsie. The rehabilitation process included the installation of all new utility components in the quarters, restoration of the interior walls and floors, and the complete renewal of the tower and lantern. Funding for these projects came from the Michigan Lighthouse Assistance Program and a distinctive “Save America’s Treasures” award from the Federal Government, along with necessary matching contributions by Point Betsie’s private donors. One key donation was for the restoration of the Victorian staircase in the assistant keeper’s quarters, a major gift in memory of former Assistant Keeper Henry LaFreniere and his wife Hattie. The stairway provides access to a beautiful two-bedroom vacation apartment, the rent from which is an important source of revenue for the light station. Another important historic contribution consisted of radiators that had previously heated Point Betsie’s adjacent Coast Guard station. As the interior rehabilitation was moving forward, many gifts of furnishings and other period-appropriate items were donated or loaned to the Friends group for display and use. Other items, especially for the apartment, were carefully selected for purchase. The hopes of many Point Betsie devotees were realized when the beautiful Fourth-order Fresnel lens which provided the station’s sweeping beam for about a century was returned by the Coast Guard for display on the lighthouse’s first floor. 2011 saw two significant installations. An electric lift for which vital funds were received from Rotary Charities of Traverse City now assists visitors needing help to access the first floor exhibition area. And The Nature Conservancy completed professionally designed displays which inform visitors of the ecology of the Point Betsie area. Starting in 2012, visitors will see an exciting and rare addition to the station’s exhibits, a 21-foot, inboard-powered wooden lapstrake boat which originally served as a lighthouse tender at Lake Superior’s Isle Royale. Contributed by Great Lakes Boat Building School, the boat was fully restored this fall and winter by a group of dedicated lighthouse volunteers. The all-volunteer Friends of Point Betsie Lighthouse, Inc. has been working in concert with Benzie County since 2011, raising money, cleaning up the site, hiring professionals in historical restoration, and carrying out master plans for this treasured icon. We are proud to provide and manage public access to this still-operating Federal light. Thousands of visitors tour the facility each year, enjoying its informative exhibits and gift shop during seasonal operations. Throughout the year, the beautiful adjacent beach offers spectacular views of the lighthouse, sunset, stars, the Manitou Islands and more. We welcome your visit and your support!