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 | Quarry | not named | 1927-12-23 | 1 | Detroit Company buys land for Quarry | |
| Door County Advocate | Lighthouse | not named | 1929-12-27 | 6 | Trapped in ice-sheathed lighthouse a week | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Yacht | Not named or built | 3 | To be built for John Jacob Astor. | ||
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Not named yet | 1881-03-03 | 3 | New - dim. given - built for the Peshtigo Co. | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Not named yet | 1881-03-03 | 3 | New - for Marinette Barge Line towing Co. to replace Bismark | |
| The Herald | Note to Boaters | 1892-07-22 | 4 | Notice that some steamers are not using their running lights. Warning to steamers to do so | ||
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Nottingham | 1916-07-13 | 1 | Sailor has arm cut off | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Nottingham | 1915-08-12 | 1 | Ashore near Point Aux Pin and released | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Nottingham | 1907-07-11 | 1 | In Milwaukee on 1st trip since being beached | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Nottingham | 1906-06-01 | 1 | Engine partially went through itself |
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.