Newspaper Search

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
Door County Advocate Clara 1884-04-24 3 Loaded + cleared from Jacksonport
Door County Advocate Schooner Clara 1885-04-30 3 First arrival at Clay Banks
Door County Advocate Schooner Clara 1886-04-01 3 First sail arrival on this shore this season
Door County Advocate Schooner Clara 1887-07-23 3 Damaged in squall
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Schooner Clara 1887-07-21 3 Chris Bransdorf disposed of the schooner Clara to Sheboygan parties. He used to own an interest of the burned steambarge G. P. Heath.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Schooner Clara 1886-11-11 3 The three-masted schooner Clara was wind-bound in our harbor on Tuesday.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Schooner Clara 1885-11-19 3 Information on disastrous trip.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Schooner Clara 1885-10-29 3 The schooners Henry Cowles and Clara went to Clay Banks on Sunday morning for ties and posts for Swaty, Youngs & Fetzer.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Clara 1886-05-13 3 The schooners Christiana, Nellie Detroit and vessels Clara and Queen of the West were wind bound in our harbor last week.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Schooner Clara 1886-04-29 3 Scows Helen, Success and Sea Star and the schooners Clara, Ole Oleson and Conquest loaded ties and posts for southern points.

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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.

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