Anchor Day Celebrates 40 years in Empire!
July 15th is Anchor Day in Empire. This celebration commemorates the raising of the an anchor from the depths of Lake Michigan in July of 1977. This year celebrates the 40th anniversary of the finding of this famous Anchor. The anchor was discovered by Doug Manning and Michelle Stryker while canoeing off the shore in about 18 feet of water. Doug asked if the museum could use a freighter anchor which was attached to a large wooden beam. Dave Taghon, who was then the Empire Village President knew that any relic found in Great Lakes waters belongs to the State of Michigan, so he called the Dorsett Maritime Academy and Oberlin College with his dilemma. He was assured that, if the anchor was properly displayed, Empire could have it. The anchor was raised by many village volunteers and was placed in it's current place of honor at the Empire Beach. In 1978 The Museum sponsored the first annual celebration called Anchor Day, to remember the exciting day the anchor was brought us from the depths of Lake Michigan. This celebration always occurs on the third Saturday in July. It is now sponsored by The Empire Area Community Center. Come and see the movie, "Recovery of the Anchor", which will be shown at the Town hall on Friday evening, July 14th at 7:30 PM. and join in all the festival events the next day, Saturday July 15th.
