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 | Scow | Laurel | 1881-10-13 | 3 | Found shelter in harbor. Steamer Daisy Day, schooners J. H. Stevens, L. J. Conway, Willis A. Smith, Dawn, D. A. Wells, Tempest, scow Laurel | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Scow | Laurel | 1879-10-02 | 4 | One of 9 vessels presenting a business-like appearance in our harbor. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Scow | Laurel | 1877-05-31 | 8 | Loaded at Horn's Pier the past week. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Scow | Laurel | 1877-04-19 | 8 | Cleared from Horn & Joseph's pier at Clay Banks during the past week. | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Laurel | 1883-06-07 | 3 | Took refuge in canal | |
| Door County Advocate | Laurel | 1890-01-11 | 5 | Laid up in Detroit harbor | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Scow | Laurel | 1877-08-23 | 3 | Arrived Aug. 18th, Chicago, light | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Scow | Laurel | 1891-09-03 | 3 | The scow Laurel, of Washington Harbor, dropped into this port last Sunday to await favorable wind, and weather for sailing north. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Scow | Laurel | 1885-08-27 | 3 | The scow Laurel was in port on Friday, windbound. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Scow | Laurel | 1878-08-01 | 10 | Arrived at Ahnapee July 28 from Troy Harbor with wood. Departed 31st for Milwaukee with wood. |
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.