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 | Schooner | Ford River | 1881-05-12 | 3 | Shipments from this port. Chicago, 10,000 ties. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Fordonian | 5 | Quite badly damaged in a collision with a bridge at Chicago. Here for repairs. | ||
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Fordonian | 1926-06-18 | 8 | Ocean vessel | |
| Door County Advocate | Forella | 1924-06-20 | 6 | Wrecking dredge to be sent | ||
| Door County Advocate | Fruit boat | Forelle | 1924-02-22 | 6 | Wreckage believed to be found | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Scow | Forest | 1881-05-12 | 3 | Struck by unknown propeller about 15 miles off Kenosha. She ran into Racine harbor. Damage given. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Forest | 1881-06-16 | 3 | Shipments from this port. Racine, 5000 ties. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Scow | Forest | 1881-08-25 | 3 | The scow Forest, owned by Capt. H. Fellows, of Racine, is receiving a new stern at Milwaukee. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Forest | 1880-04-29 | 3 | E. Decker & Co. loaded the schooner Forest with 7,000 posts this week. She departed Wednesday. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Scow | Forest | 1880-03-18 | 4 | Sch. Starlight, Experiment, Gertrude, Meditator, and scows Marion Dixon, Forest, and J. H. Johnson are receiving repairs at Racine. |
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.