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 | Car ferry | Ann Arbor No. 5 | 1911-02-24 | 1 | The entire fleet of Ann Arbor carferries, the Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the latter a new boat, are to be equipped this week with wireless apparatus by the United States Wireless Telegraph company. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Car ferry | Ann Arbor No. 5 | 1910-12-02 | 1 | Launched at Toledo. Information on her given. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Carferry | Ann Arbor No. 5 | 7 | Steampipe burst killing three and seriously scalding two. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Carferry | Ann Arbor No. 5 | 1 | Knocked draw of the 8th street bridge off center. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Ferry | Ann Arbor No. 5 | 1 | Went into the dock last week for minor repairs. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Ferry | Ann Arbor No. 5 | 3 | In floating dock for repairs due to damage due to winter. | ||
| Door County Advocate | Carferry | Ann Arbor No. 5 | 1937-02-19 | 1 | Stuck in ice for 36 hours | |
| Door County Advocate | Carferry | Ann Arbor No. 5 | 1925-01-23 | 11 | Backs for 17 mi. to get No. 6 out of ice | |
| Door County Advocate | Ann Arbor No. 5 | 1925-06-05 | 5 | Laid up due to lack of business | ||
| Door County Advocate | Ann Arbor No. 5 | 1912-09-12 | 1 | Size given |
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.