Empire City (California) facts for kids

The Empire City Historic Landmark marks the spot where an important early California town once stood. This landmark honors pioneer John C. Marvin. In 1850, he settled by the Tuolumne River and started a town called "Empire City."

Empire City was a busy place because it was the furthest point up the Tuolumne River that small steamboats could reach. These boats brought people and supplies to the area. The town was also a key place for shipping out large amounts of grain grown nearby.

At its busiest, Empire City had many buildings. There were three stores, a tall three-story hotel, and two boarding houses. It also had a blacksmith shop, a church, and a school. For a short time, from October 1854 to December 1855, Empire City was even the county seat for Stanislaus County. This meant it was the main government center for the county.

Sadly, the town was destroyed by huge floodwaters during the Great Flood of 1862. About 40 years later, a new town was built about a mile north of the old site. This new town was named Empire, just like the original.

What You Can See Today

Today, you can visit the site of the Empire City Historic Landmark. A special historical marker for the state of California is located in Empire, California. It used to be on Santa Fe Avenue but was moved to the new Empire Community Park.

Another historical marker for Empire City was put up on October 28, 1961. This marker was placed by a group called Estanislao Chapter 58 of E Clampus Vitus. You can find it in Empire Community Park, at the eastern end of the parking area.