Around circa 1900, the peaceful shore where the schooner “Empire” foundered was the site of a bustling mill and village in Empire. With Sleeping Bear overlooking the scene, millions of feet of logs were brought across South Bar Lake by train to be cut into lumber. Older people in the village remembered the activity, with some having played there and others having worked there. Along the shore, all that remained of the mill was a large concrete platform where a gangsaw with 26 blades had reduced huge logs into usable lumber.