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 | Schooner | John Bauers | 1899-08-05 | 1 | Leaking fast | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | John Bean | 1880-08-05 | 3 | E. Decker & Co. shipped on schooners John Bean, 4,500 ties, Mon; Industry, 30 cds bark and 20 cds wood, Mon. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | John Bean | 1880-08-19 | 3 | The schooner John Bean departed last night with 4,500 ties for Sam Perry. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | John Bean | 1880-07-22 | 3 | The schooner John Bean departed on Friday last with 5,000 ties for Sam Perry. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | John Bean | 1880-08-12 | 3 | Sam Perry loaded schs. Industry with 55 cords of bark, John Bean 5,000 ties and the Espindola with 45 cords of bark. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | John Bean Jr. | 1884-06-05 | 3 | Schooner John Bean Jr. cleared with posts for Sam Perry for Chicago, Tuesday. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | John Bean, Jr. | 1881-06-30 | 3 | Shipments from this port. 7000 posts, Chicago. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | John Bean, Jr. | 1885-05-21 | 3 | While docking at the south pier, the line broke and she went aground at the north pier. | |
| Door County Advocate | Dock | John Bertschinger | 1915-10-21 | 1 | Purchased land for dock at end of Spruce Street | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | John Breden | 1899-07-27 | 5 | Foundered in Lake Huron on Friday. Three of her crew drowned. She was coal laden. |
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.