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 Steamer Iowa 1903-10-24 1 Still on west shore run
Door County Advocate Steamer Iowa 1904-01-30 1 Caught in ice
Door County Advocate Iowa 1896-02-15 5 Was the Menominee - name not changed to Nebraska
Door County Advocate Steamer Iowa 1896-05-16 5 A1 1/2 rating and $80,000 evaluation, later info in article
Door County Advocate Steamer Iowa 1896-07-11 5 Pole spar, struck by lightning + replaced
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Steamer Iowa 1915-03-05 1 The United States Government notified the Goodrich Transit Company to remove the wreckage or they will dynamite it. There is a cargo valued at $50,000 in the sunken steamer.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Iowa 1915-02-19 3 The steamer Iowa which was sunk by the ice off Chicago was located last week. It turned turtle when it sunk.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Iowa 1915-02-12 1 The Georgia failed to reach Algoma. It was recalled to Milwaukee and will take the sunken Iowa's run the remainder of the winter or until another boat is put into commission.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Steamer Iowa 1896-11-26 3 The Goodrich steamer Iowa, bound south, stopped in this harbor last Friday night and took on considerable freight.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Steamer Iowa 1897-02-18 3 The Goodrich steamer Iowa was in port last Friday.

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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.

© 2026 - Wisconsin Sea Grant, Wisconsin Historical Society