A couple of weeks ago we looked at an overview of the town of Empire City, in the eastern Eagle Valley. Now here is a closer look at the downtown area. Empire City only existed for a brief time. It was first founded in the 1850s by Nicholas “Dutch Nick” Ambrose, little more than a stage stop along the river. With the discovery of gold and silver, the rise of the mills along the river, and the coming of the railroad right through town, Empire City grew to 700 residents. But after the mills started closing, there was no more need for a town. Residents quickly left, and despite some of the buildings seemingly being constructed of brick, all trace of the town has disappeared. Morgan Mill Road now winds through the sagebrush flat that used to be downtown.
