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 | Steamer | Columbus | 1869-05-07 | 2 | Early navigation on L. Michigan | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Gov. cruiser | Columbus | 1893-11-23 | 3 | Beats the record in the matter of speed, making 30 mph. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Whaleback | Columbus | 1895-08-22 | 3 | 4,000 excursionists went from Chicago to Milwaukee on Sunday last. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Columbus | 5 | Tonnage of vessel 1511, lying up for the winter in the Manitowoc River. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Columbus | 1 | Apt. Charles E. Moody, captain; George McLaughlin, engineer. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Columbus | 1 | Mortgage forclosure on one of 5 Goodrich ships | |||
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Columbus | 1903-04-11 | 1 | Appointments given | |
| Door County Advocate | Columbus | 1912-02-15 | 1 | At Manitowoc undergoing general overhauling | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Columbus | 1904-08-26 | 1 | Gas jet life buoy has been added to Goodrich vessels. Its chemicals lighted as soon as it strikes the water. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Columbus | 1911-06-09 | 1 | Goodrich summer schedule given. |
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.