Search below for stories about ships, lighthouses, sailors and anything else about life on Lake Michigan. The database contains references to articles from the Ahnapee (Algoma) Record (June 12, 1873 to Jan. 7, 1927), the Door County Advocate (Nov. 8, 1861 to Dec. 22, 1949), and the Manitowoc Pilot (June 14, 1859 to Dec. 28, 1899). The results will direct you to the date and page in these newspapers where the article can be found.
Microfilm copies of the Ahnapee (Algoma) Record are available at the Wisconsin Historical Society Library in Madison, Algoma Public Library in Algoma. Microfilm copies of the Door County Advocate are available at the Wisconsin Historical Society Library in Madison, the Door County Public Library in Sturgeon Bay, and the Brown County Library in Green Bay. Microfilm of the Manitowoc Pilot are available at the Manitowoc County Historical Society, the Manitowoc Public Library, and the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison.
Check with your local library about obtaining the microfilm via interlibrary loan.
| Newspaper | Object | Name | Date | Page | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manitowoc Pilot | Christopher Columbus | 1898-12-29 | 4 | Doubtful whether she can get into the dry dock. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Christopher Columbus | 1899-06-01 | 8 | Will open the season somewhat earlier than in former years. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Christopher Columbus | 1899-06-08 | 5 | Large sheriff sectional wheel is being put on this week. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Christopher Columbus | 1899-06-22 | 5 | In dry dock to have her sectional wheel put in and her bottom scraped. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Whaleback | Christopher Columbus | 1899-11-16 | 8 | Was put in the dry dock. Something was wrong with her key. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Christopher Columbus | 8 | Assignment of officers by Goodrich Co. Capt. Robt. Smith, Eng. George McLaughlin, purser J. M. Fifield | |||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Whaleback | Christopher Columbus | 6 | Picture of it in Chicago loaded with Grand Army of the Republic Veterans. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Christopher Columbus | 5 | Goodrich steamer in commission | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Christopher Columbus | 1 | Apt. by Goodrich co. for season. Charles F. Moody, captain; George McLaughlin, eng. | |||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Christopher Columbus | 5 | Will be put into commission the latter part of June. |
This database is a cooperative effort of the Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association (WUAA), the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS), and the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute. The project is spearheaded by WUAA member Russel Leitz, who helped develop a framework for the database and painstakingly combed through 54 years of the Ahnapee (Algoma) Record, 87 years of the Door County Advocate and 40 years of the Manitowoc Pilot for maritime news. The more than 50,000 references are the fruit of his labor alone.