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 | Steamer | Iowa | 1896-07-11 | 5 | To go into commission | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Iowa | 1896-06-13 | 5 | Lightning struck mainmast | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Iowa | 1896-05-16 | 5 | A1 1/2 rating and $80,000 evaluation, later info in article | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Iowa | 1910-01-21 | 1 | The Goodrich steamer Iowa was in port several hours on Sunday loading freight bound south. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Iowa | 1910-05-06 | 6 | The steamer Indiana was in port behind schedule. The recent disaster to the steamer Iowa is supposed to have put the boats upon this run several days behind time. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Iowa | 1910-06-03 | 1 | Captain William Plumber of the steamer Iowa resigns. Iowa now commanded by Capt. Franklin of the Sheboygan, First mate Cook of the Georgia was given the Chicago, and Capt. Carrington given the Sheboygan. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Iowa | 1909-01-29 | 1 | Plans for the Alabama, new boat to be built, have not been finalized. The Goodrich company plans increased service with the Indiana, Iowa and Virginia. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Iowa | 1912-03-15 | 1 | Steamers Iowa and City of Racine, which were ice-bound for 5 days, were released. A total of 1,500 pounds of dynamite was used to release the Racine. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Iowa | 1912-05-17 | 7 | One of the vessels mentioned in a big article written by an old steamboat man of forty odd years and given in the Chicago Magazine. This is a continuation of previous articles. | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Iowa | 1901-11-15 | 1 | The steamer Iowa had to go by due to the big sea on the lake and the waves swept in between the harbor piers. |
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.