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 Sailing barge Iron Cliff 1898-11-19 1 Foundered and sunk at Chicago at foot of Van Buren street
Door County Advocate Schooner Iron Cliff 1899-01-07 1 Stranded and sank off Van Burean st. Nov. 10
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Barge Iron Cliff 1898-11-11 2 In tow of the steamer Iron Duke when its line parted and it drifted on the Chicago breakwater where it sunk.
Door County Advocate Barge Iron Cliff 1898-10-01 1 In for repairs
Door County Advocate Barge Iron Cliff 1898-11-26 1 Sank - towed into river at Chicago with 1900 tons of salt
Door County Advocate Barge Iron Cliff 1901-12-28 1 Wintering at Milwaukee
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Steamer Iron Duke 1898-11-11 2 In tow of the steamer Iron Duke when its line parted and it drifted on the Chicago breakwater where it sunk.
Door County Advocate Iron Duke 1898-12-10 1 Sought refuge in South Manitou harbor
Door County Advocate Steamer Iron Duke 1897-11-20 1 To lay up for winter at Chicago
Door County Advocate Steamer Iron Duke 1904-11-26 1 Stranded at the mouth of Black river, L. Huron

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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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