Benzie & Sleeping Bear
Frankfort
A beach-and-lighthouse harbor town: a Lake Michigan beach at the end of Main Street, a breakwater light off the sand and Point Betsie up the shore.
Under a mile away (straight line)
Lighthouse · Benzie & Sleeping Bear
Frankfort North Breakwater Lighthouse
A 67-foot square steel lighthouse at the head of Frankfort's north breakwater, marking the harbor entrance in full view of the city beach.
Frankfort’s lighthouse is a beach-day lighthouse, an easy one for families. You see it from the city’s public beach at the west end of Main Street, where the twin piers reach out into Lake Michigan to form the harbor, and you can walk out along the pier toward it. The beach has public restrooms and accessible walkways. Stay off the pier when the waves are up.
The square steel tower stands 67 feet tall at the head of the north breakwater, marking the way into a harbor that was a shipping point for lumber and other raw materials on Lake Michigan. It has held its place since 1932 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
The city owns it now. In 2011 the Department of the Interior announced its transfer from federal hands to the City of Frankfort, under a program that passes historic lighthouses to local owners with preservation plans, and the city’s website links to a lighthouse restoration fundraising project.
For a second lighthouse, head north along the shore to Point Betsie.
Practical information
- Managed by
- City of Frankfort (owner)
- Best months
- May to October
- Best viewpoint
- The twin piers and lighthouse are the focal point of Frankfort Public Beach and Playground at the west end of Main Street.
- Walking out
- Visitors walk out along the pier toward the light. Stay off the pier when waves are high.
- Facilities
- The public beach next to the piers lists public restrooms, benches and ADA walkways to the beach.
- Official website
- frankfortmich.com
Location
Map of Frankfort North Breakwater Lighthouse
4 places on an OpenStreetMap map
Nearby towns
Also nearby
Straight-line distances, not driving distances.
Beach
Frankfort Beach
Frankfort's public Lake Michigan beach and playground at the west end of Main Street, with restrooms, ADA walkways and the piers and lighthouse in view.
Under a mile away (straight line)
Historic site
Garden Theater
Frankfort's 1923 Main Street movie house, renovated and run by a nonprofit, showing first-run and independent films and home to the Frankfort Film Festival.
Under a mile away (straight line)
Beach
Elberta Beach
A quieter, mostly natural Lake Michigan beach across the harbor from Frankfort, running about a half mile south from the Elberta pier. Plan ahead.
Under a mile away (straight line)