Newspaper Search

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 Tug Lawrence 1881-05-05 3 To tow about the bay
Door County Advocate Steamer Lawrence 1901-12-28 1 Wintering at Manitowoc
Door County Advocate Steamer Lawrence 1899-09-09 1 Slowed because of growth of grass on botom
Door County Advocate Steamer Lawrence 1899-04-08 1 To be run between Milwaukee, St. Joseph + benten Harbor
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Schooner Lawrence 1880-10-21 3 Bailey's Harbor piers are damaged, barge Burnette is in three feet of water, sch. Lotty May, Lawrence and L. J. Conway ashore there.
Manitowoc Pilot Tug Lawrence 1882-11-30 3 Taken to Sturgeon Bay by tug Gregory
Manitowoc Pilot Propeller Lawrence 1885-12-17 3 Came in on Mon. and proceeded up the river to the dry dock. She will be rebuilt this winter.
Manitowoc Pilot Propeller Lawrence 1893-02-09 3 Receiving a general overhauling together with some changes to her cabin.
Manitowoc Pilot Steamer Lawrence 1894-03-08 3 Boiler from Charlevoix has been put into the steamer Lawrence.
Manitowoc Pilot Propeller Lawrence 1894-05-17 3 Loaded about four carloads of freight from here.

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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.

© 2025 - Wisconsin Sea Grant, Wisconsin Historical Society