The Historic Village of Empire is located on Lake Michigan, at the base of Michigan's beautiful Leelanau Penninsula (maps). Founded in the nineteenth century as a lumber town, the village got its name from the schooner Empire, which spent an unplanned winter here in 1875. At the turn of the century, Empire boasted two lumber mills and a population of 1000. Empire was known for its special flooring, which was popular in Chicago.

When the trees were used up and the mills burned down, Empire lost its mill town bustle (and much of its population). During the height of the Cold War, Empire hosted a Strategic Air Command early warning radar base, which closed in the 70s.

Today, Empire bustles again at the heart of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. With miles of empty beaches, the crystal clear waters of Lake Michigan, and the wonders of the Sleeping Bear Dunes, which rise 600' above the lake, the Empire area is one of Michigan's most popular travel destinations.