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 | Schooner | Island City | 1880-04-15 | 4 | Taken out loads from this port. Schooner Island City, Sunday, 1,400 hemlock ties and 800 posts for E. Decker & Co. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Island Queen | 1859-09-30 | 2 | Reported on rocks at Point Wabbleshanks | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Islander | 1902-05-24 | 1 | On boxes for searching up and repairs | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Islander | 1898-01-22 | 1 | Among winter fleet at Manistee | |
| Door County Advocate | Fish tug | Islander | 1936-11-20 | 1 | New - launched - info given | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Islander | 1923-10-26 | 6 | In for general repairs | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Isodola Bock | 1885-12-17 | 3 | Has been laid up at Manistee | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Isolda Block | 1908-07-31 | 1 | The schooner Isolda Block suffered from a collision with the large steel steamer Corica about 20 miles out from Two River point. The tug Artic towed the disabled boat into port. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Isolda Bock | 1911-09-22 | 6 | In port with a cargo of grapes from St. Joe, Michigan. She had 6000 baskets aboard when she left Michigan and disposed of a large part at Kewaunee. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Isolda Bock | 1912-06-28 | 7 | The schooner Isolda Bock one of the oldest sailing crafts upon the lakes came into port Tuesday night to avoid a storm. The Isolda Bock was light and was bound for Benton Harbor. |
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.