This three-bedroom, two-bath centennial farmhouse at 11256 S. Lacore in Empire ($769,900; MLS #1910758) was originally built in 1894 by master carpenter Burr Getman, who constructed the iconic D.H. Day barn and several area homes. A complete renovation in 1993 added a master bedroom open to the deck, a second basement and a sunporch, and enlarged the kitchen and bathroom.

Walk to the shore of South Bar Lake, where a cedar-shake boathouse on the 127 feet of private frontage offers additional sleeping quarters. The property also includes a two-story carriage house and a fully equipped cottage apartment with attached garage, currently used as an artist studio.

The 2.3 acres includes more than 40 species of native plants, trees and shrubs catalogued by a botanist. Among them are a forest of pine, cedar, balsam, cherry and birch. A meadow offers horseshoe pits, a natural area for badminton, apple trees, raspberries, grapes and quince plus herb, vegetable and flower gardens.

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