Empire is a

village A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...

in the northwestern Lower Peninsula of

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

in the United States. Located in southwestern Leelanau County, its population was 362 at the 2020 census. The village is located within Empire Township, and is famous for its proximity to the

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a U.S. national lakeshore in the northwestern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Located within Benzie and Leelanau counties, the park extends along a stretch of Lake Michigan's eastern coastline, as well ...

. Empire is home to the lakeshore's headquarters, the Philip A. Hart Visitor Center.

History

Empire was founded in 1851. It was incorporated as a village in 1895 with E. R. Dailey, the head of the Empire Lumber Company which was the main employer here, as the first president of the village. The city was named after the schooner "Empire", which was icebound in the city during a storm in 1865. The Empire Lumber Company operated from 1887 to 1917, dominating this once booming lumber town. George Aylsworth operated the first mill between 1873 and 1883. Potter and Struthers built a second mill in 1885, which T. Wilce Company purchased in 1887. Called the Empire Lumber Company, it expanded to one of the largest and best equipped hardwood mills in the area, capable of producing up to 20 million feet of lumber a year. Docks, several businesses, and a railroad sprang up in Empire. Destroyed by fire in 1906, the mill was quickly rebuilt. The mill burned again in 1917. With most of the nearby virgin timber gone, the mill was not replaced. The local Robert H. Manning Memorial Light was built in 1991 by O'Brien Brothers Construction as a memorial to Robert H. Manning, a lifelong resident of Empire and avid fisherman. Additionally, the beach has an antique anchor which was discovered by Douglas Manning, son of Robert H. Manning, and Michelle Stryker in 1977. Every year, the village of Empire celebrates the raising of the anchor on the third Saturday in July.

Geography

Situated approximately due west of

Traverse City Traverse City ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although it partly extends into Leelanau County. The city's population was 15,678 at the 2020 census, while the four-county Traverse C ...

, Empire is located in the center of the

. The Empire Bluffs lie to the south and the sand dunes of the National Lakeshore lie to the north. The area has views of the dunes, North Manitou and South Manitou islands, and Lake Michigan. Most Sleeping Bear Dunes panoramas portrayed on postcards are taken from a walking trail which runs to the top of the Empire Bluffs. A wide beach separates Lake Michigan from its close neighbor,

South Bar Lake South Bar Lake is located near Empire, Michigan. It is approximately in size and has a maximum depth of . It is used for recreational purposes, and there is a public swimming beach on the west side of the lake in a village park. The lake contain ...

. The much smaller

stays considerably warmer than the big lake during the summer months. The small village of Empire is located up a short hill, just a few minutes walk from the beach.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water. Empire is considered to be part of

Northern Michigan Northern Michigan (also known as Northern Lower Michigan and colloquially within Michigan as "Up North") is a region of the U.S. state of Michigan. The region, which is distinct from the more northerly Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Upper Peninsul ...

Geographic features

Major highways

* runs north–south through the village, further in each direction along the

coast. * has its western terminus in Empire, running east across Michigan's

Lower Peninsula The Lower Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Lower Michigan – is the larger, southern and less elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; the other being the Upper Peninsula, which is separated by the S ...

until reaching

US 23 U.S. Route 23 or U.S. Highway 23 (US 23) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is an original 1926 route which originally reached only as far south a ...

on the

Lake Huron Lake Huron ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is shared on the north and east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the south and west by the U.S. state of Michigan. The name of the lake is derived from early French ex ...

coast, in Harrisville. Along its route, M-72 also runs through

, Kalkaska, Grayling, and Mio.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 375 people, 211 households, and 103 families living in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 347 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 99.2%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

and 0.8% Native American.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.8% of the population. There were 211 households, of which 12.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 51.2% were non-families. 46.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.78 and the average family size was 2.50. The median age in the village was 56.8 years. 13.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 2.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.8% were from 25 to 44; 38.1% were from 45 to 64; and 29.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 45.6% male and 54.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 378 people, 187 households, and 104 families living in the village. The population density was . There were 276 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 98.94%

, 0.26% Native American, 0.26% Asian, and 0.53% from two or more races. There were 187 households, out of which 16.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were

living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.9% were non-families. 39.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.70. In the village, the population was spread out, with 15.6% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 19.3% from 25 to 44, 35.2% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males. The median income for a household in the village was $39,722, and the median income for a family was $52,813. Males had a median income of $31,042 versus $24,250 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the village was $27,850. About 2.7% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

U.S. Air Force (Empire Air Force Station)

For many years, the village was host to many servicewomen and men stationed at Empire Air Force Station. This was mainly a radar site during the Cold War. Its main function was to protect the northern skies of the United States from military threats. In its later years, the site was turned over to the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...

. Though much of the site is gone now, there is a museum and historical marker in the village. There is an annual reunion of members of Empire AFS. EmpireSchoolEmpireMI

Local attractions

*Michigan

Shore to Shore Riding & Hiking Trail The Michigan Shore-to-Shore Trail (also known as the Michigan Riding and Hiking Trail) is a trail that runs between Empire, Michigan, Empire on Lake Michigan and Oscoda, Michigan, Oscoda on Lake Huron across the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. It ...

runs from Empire passes through Grayling and on to Oscoda, and points north and south. It is a interconnected system of trails. *Empire Bluff Trail *Philip A. Hart Visitor Center for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Empire Area Historical Museum ComplexGilbert the T-Rex
There are a number of recurring local events. A calendar is available. *The Empire Winterfest, held each year in mid-February has been celebrated for the past twenty-five years. Events include ice skating, curling and the polar bear dip into South Bar Lake. There is also a pool tournament held in the Empire Village Inn (known to locals simply as "The V.I.") and a pancake breakfast put on by the Empire Lion's Club in the Empire town hall. *Empire is the former home of the Dunegrass Festival. A three-day music festival featuring folk and bluegrass groups, as well as a multitude of stands from local artisans and business owners. It is now held a short distance away outside of the village. *Empire Heritage Days (2nd weekend in October). *Empire Asparagus Festival (3rd weekend in May—weekend before Memorial Day weekend). *Empire Hops Festival (1st Saturday in October)

Notes

External links

Empire Chamber of Commerce.Empire Village home page.

Leelenau Chamber of Commerce.Empire Area Historical Museum Complex.
{{authority control Villages in Leelanau County, Michigan Villages in Michigan 1895 establishments in Michigan Populated places established in 1895 Michigan populated places on Lake Michigan Traverse City metropolitan area

History

Geography

Geography

Geographic features

Major highways

Demographics

2010 census

2000 census

U.S. Air Force (Empire Air Force Station)

Local attractions

Notes

Further reading

External links