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 | Tug | Kitty Smoke | 1881-05-05 | 3 | The tug Kitty Smoke, with wrecking apparatus, will be stationed at the Sturgeon Bay canal the present season of navigation. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Kitty Smoke | 1881-07-28 | 3 | The schooner Watertown ran on the rocks on the northwestern side of Plum Island. The tug Kitty Smoke has gone to her assistance. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Kitty Smoke | 1881-10-06 | 3 | Kitty Smoke to attempt to get propeller Granite State off reef at Clay Banks. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Kitty Smoke | 1882-05-11 | 3 | The scow, owned by C. L. Fellows, drifted on the beach half a mile north of Sheboygan light house point. Tug Kitty Smoke released her. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Kitty Smoke | 1881-06-16 | 3 | Sparks from the tug Kitty Smoke set fire to a Smith & Leathem's large scows burning 500 ties and badly scorching the deck of the scow. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Kitty Smoke | 1881-08-04 | 3 | The tugs Kitty Smoke and Dennis Brothers discovered a sunken 3 master off Clay Banks. ?Trinidad | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Kline | 1925-08-07 | 7 | To unload 1,500 tons of coal at Kalmbach dock | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Kling | 1927-09-16 | 12 | Unloaded 1,100 tons of soft coal | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Kling | 1 | Launched. Biggest ship ever built at Manitowoc. Named after John A. Kling | |||
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Kling | 1924-12-12 | 6 | Unable to enter |
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.