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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Dolpha | 1891-10-01 | 3 | A little vessel named the Dolpha, was in this port yesterday with a cargo of fruit. | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Dolphin | 1879-08-28 | 4 | The tug was towing a barge when a northeaster sprung up, causing the barge to fill up with water and break in two. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Barge | Dolphin | 1887-10-27 | 3 | Went adrift near Sand Beach and supposed to be lost | |
| Door County Advocate | Sand sucker | Dolphin | 1916-08-24 | 1 | In dock - repair leaks | |
| Door County Advocate | Dolphin | 1920-11-26 | 8 | Sank and raised - sand sucker | ||
| Door County Advocate | Barge | Dolphin | 1920-06-04 | 7 | Working out of the river | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Dolphin | 1869-05-13 | 4 | Cargo of ties | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Dolphin | 1867-06-06 | 4 | Cargo of tan bark | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Dolphin | 1879-07-10 | 3 | Was the Wm. Hoffmann | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Yacht | Dolphin | 1882-08-03 | 3 | The little yacht is owned by a gentleman who recently came from Chicago. He will lease the boat for pleasure or excursion parties. |
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.