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 | Tug | Geo. Nelson | 1887-07-14 | 3 | Tug Geo. Nelson and tug Jesse Spaulding raced. Nelson won. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Geo. Nelson | 1901-10-25 | 8 | From Sturgeon Bay. The dismasted schooner C. J. Magill was brought in here by the tugs Thos. Thompson and Geo. Nelson. The wrecking tug A. J. Wright cleaned up the wrecked spars and rigging. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Geo. Nelson | 1887-07-14 | 3 | Instead of Bob Anderson taking the place of the James Reid, it will be the barge Thos. H., Smith and the tug Geo. Nelson. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Geo. Nelson | 1901-09-27 | 1 | Went aground on the northeast end of Dunlap reef in Sturgeon Bay. The tugs A. J. Wright, Geo. Nelson, O. M. Field, Arctic and Leathem and Cecelia Hill couldn't release her. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Scow | Geo. Neville | 1869-11-25 | 1 | Ashore near Two Creeks - total loss | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Geo. Orr | 1911-04-27 | 1 | First arrival from Georgian bay ports | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Geo. Oscar | 1874-01-22 | 4 | Owned in this city - 31.83 tons | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Geo. Oscar | 1875-04-22 | 3 | Cleared April 19th, Milwaukee, 30 cords wood arrived Apr. 19, Milw. 50 BBls salt | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Geo. Oscar | 1875-10-28 | 3 | Arrived Oct. 23rd, Benton Harbor, apples Cleared Oct. 23rd, Benton Harbor, light | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Geo. Oscar | 1877-05-10 | 3 | Arrived May 8th Manistee, 30m lumber, Cleared May 8th uskegon, sunds. |
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.