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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Mystic | 1883-06-14 | 3 | Collided with steamer Sheboygan on Saturday, had considerable damage | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Mystic | 1873-05-15 | 3 | To Chicago lumber market | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Tug | Mystic | 1887-07-21 | 3 | Brought schooner Paige here for repairs | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Mystic Star | 1873-09-04 | 4 | Left Saturday night under command of Capt. Griffin | ||
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Mystic Star | 1879-10-30 | 3 | Miraculous escape from death by a crew member | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Canaler | Mystic Star | 1873-08-28 | 4 | Launched from Windiate & Butler shipyard - info on her | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Mystic Star | 1881-06-30 | 3 | Tonnage 339, built at Manitowoc in 1873 by Jas. Butler | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Mystic Star | 1896-03-21 | 5 | 1895 + 1896 vessel valuations given | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Mystry | 5 | Was damaged in a collision at Sheboygan will be brought here for repairs | ||
| Door County Advocate | Dock | N. A. Haines | 1932-06-24 | 1 | New dock at the Pines resort at Idlewild |
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.