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 | Barge | Mary Mills | 1889-12-26 | 3 | The barge Mary Mills made her last trip for the season, and arrived here on Saturday last. She will go into winter quarters here. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Barge | Mary Mills | 1887-06-16 | 3 | Machinery of G. P. Heath was taken to Manitowoc and is being placed in the hull of the barge Mary Mills. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steambarge | Mary Mills | 1887-12-08 | 3 | The steambarge Mary Mills and consort Clara left for Clay Banks to load cord wood for Sheboygan. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Barge | Mary Mills | 1887-09-08 | 3 | Christ. Braunsdorf, of Clay Banks, has shipped as wheelsman on the barge Mary Mills. He has an interest in the craft. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steambarge | Mary Mills | 1887-08-11 | 3 | The steambarge Mary Mills, which was fitted out with the machinery of the burned barge G. P. Heath, has gone into commission. | |
| Door County Advocate | Steambarge | Mary Mills | 1897-04-17 | 1 | Disabled | |
| Door County Advocate | Steambarge | Mary Mills | 1897-04-17 | 1 | Interest purchased | |
| Door County Advocate | Steambarge | Mary Mills | 1898-07-16 | 1 | Corrected account of mishap at Milwaukee | |
| Door County Advocate | Mary Mills | 1898-12-10 | 8 | To load at Sevastopol | ||
| Door County Advocate | Steambarge | Mary Mills | 1897-12-11 | 1 | Topping off deckload with lumber + shingles |
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.