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
Door County Advocate Tug I. H. Larsen 1920-06-18 3 Almost ready for launching
Door County Advocate Steamer I. J. Boyce 1918-01-17 1 Destroyed by fire
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Schooner I. J. Johnson 1879-11-13 4 Schooners I. J. Johnson and Warren both cleared light for Clay Banks on Monday.
Door County Advocate Steamer I. L. Ellwood 1909-11-18 1 Wrecked upper gate of the Poe lock
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Schooner I. L. Shank 1881-09-22 3 Attempted to make the harbor here but dropped anchor outside. She dragged ashore just south of the old bridge pier. 2 holes in it.;
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Schooner I. L.l Shank 1881-06-30 3 From Kewaunee. The schooners Rand, Sardinia, Willie Louter and I. L. Shank have cleared during the week with cargoes.
Door County Advocate Canaler I. M. C. 1912-06-27 1 Machinery being removed from sunken vessel
Door County Advocate I. M. Davidson 1880-10-28 3 Saw by Oak Leaf on Plum Island and shortly after it was gone
Door County Advocate Schooner I. M. Forest 1880-04-22 3 Loaded cargo of ties for Joseph Smith
Door County Advocate Schooner I. M. Forest 1877-05-17 3 @ Bailey s Harbor

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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.

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