Betsie Bay

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Betsie Bay, fed by the Betsie River, was originally named after a European bird that lived in the area, the Bec-ski. The upper river was known to have many of these birds nesting along the shore, while the lower river and bay was originally surveyed during the hey day of the lumber mills in the late 1800's, by a man whose wife was named Betsy, he decided to name the bay and the river after his wife. The upper and lower rivers shared similar names for many years until the county government reconciled the two names for purposes of making navigation maps. Now the river and bay are called the Betsie. The Bay, and the cities of Frankfort and Elberta make one of the most picturesque harbor towns along the Lake Michigan shoreline.