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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | John Shaw | 1895-08-15 | 2 | Wrecking steamer searching for wreck which foundered somewhere off Alpena last fall. | |
| Door County Advocate | John Sherman | 1887-07-02 | 3 | One of oldest vessels on the lakes | ||
| Door County Advocate | Consort | John Sherman | 1887-06-25 | 3 | Passed through | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Freight | John Sherwood | 5 | Cleared Saturday after discharging a cargo of coal at the Reiss docks. | ||
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | John Shroeder | 1898-10-22 | 1 | Awaiting favorable weather | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | John Shroeder | 1898-12-03 | 1 | To get new decks | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Barge | John Smeaton | 1899-06-22 | 5 | Launched at Superior. Is 446 ft. long and has a gross tonnage of 5,049. | |
| Door County Advocate | Barge | John Smeaton | 1910-09-29 | 1 | Nearly sank the Corunna | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | John Smith | 1898-04-02 | 1 | Drifting with broken shaft | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Tug | John Smith | 1890-07-24 | 3 | Reached here with a scow loaded with ice in tow |
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.