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
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Steambarge Hilton 1883-06-07 3 She took on 3,000 bushels of grain for C. H. Sabin. She went to Clay Banks and took a deck load of wood for Swaty & Fellows.
Door County Advocate Steambarge Hilton 1910-02-17 1 Forerunners of craft of that type
Door County Advocate Steambarge Hilton 1907-05-09 1 Bound south
Door County Advocate Steambarge Hilton 1903-04-25 1 On passage down
Door County Advocate Steamer Hilton 1903-01-24 1 Wintering at Milwaukee
Door County Advocate Steamer Hilton 1902-11-08 1 Tested using crude oil for fuel satisfactory
Door County Advocate Steamer Hilton 1898-03-05 1 Being housed in aft
Door County Advocate Steamer Hilton 1899-05-06 1 Passed bound up
Door County Advocate Steamer Hilton 1900-09-15 1 In dry dock
Door County Advocate Steambarge Hilton 1902-04-12 1 Made 1st appearance

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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.

© 2025 - Wisconsin Sea Grant, Wisconsin Historical Society