Empire School (Empire, Michigan)

The Empire School is a school building located at 10017 West Front Street in Empire, Michigan.

Empire School
Location10017 W. Front St., Empire, Michigan
Coordinates44°48′39″N 86°3′32″W
Area1.1 acres (0.45 ha)
Built1900 (1900) 1905
Architectural styleLate Victorian
NRHP reference No.08000222[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 27, 2008

History

The first school in Empire was the schooner "The Empire," from which the town derives its name.[2] The schooner was icebound in the Empire harbor during the winter of 1865. In 1867, a permanent school building was constructed on Brotherton Road. A new two-story school was constructed in 1891. This school, however, was destroyed by fire in 1899.[3] As a stopgap, classes were held in the Maccabees Hall until a replacement school could be built.[2]

The district decided their new school should be a top-quality, four-room schoolhouse.[3] Construction began in 1900[2] and was the new Empire School was completed in 1901.[4] A gymnasium was added in 1932, using finds available from the Works Progress Administration.[3] An old machinery storage shed was moved to the school property to house shop classes. In 1941, a small school building, the Boynton school, was moved from its original location to the Empire School to provide space for kindergarten classes.

However, school enrollment was declining.[3] In 1958, consolidation of several area school districts, including Empire, began.[4] By 1968, the Empire School shut its doors. A series of owners purchased the property for speculative ventures, and it was re-roofed in 2004, but the ventures did not pan out. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.[1] As of 2012, a local group was attempting to convert the school into a community center.[5]

Description

The Empire School is a 10,000 square foot structure,[3] and includes four classrooms and a gymnasium.[6]

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. Lula F. Beatty. "Schooner served as first Empire school". Leelanau News.
  3. Staff (July 3, 2003). "Is the Empire Schoolhouse a goldmine or a Pandora's box?". Glen Arbor Sun.
  4. Thoman Benn (November 11, 2004). "Acquisition of Empire schoolhouse sets changes in motion". Glen Arbor Sun.
  5. Staff (March 14, 2012). "Empire groups attempts to revive community center". Glen Arbor Sun.
  6. Nadine Gilmer (July 26, 2012). "Dreaming of Empire". Glen Arbor Sun.
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