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 | Schooner | Ottawa | 1911-04-21 | 1 | Bodies of the five sailors of the wrecked schooner Ottawa were recovered along the beach late last Thursday. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Ottawa | 1905-06-23 | 1 | An excursion on the steamer Ottawa passed here Sunday on the lake bound for Sturgeon Bay, where a ball game was played between the two towns. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Ottawa | 1911-04-14 | 1 | Wrecked on reefs off Stony Creek. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Ottawa | 1904-01-22 | 1 | The Goodrich company is considering revising its schedule next year due to the St. Louis fair. There is a strong probability the company would put the steamer Ottawa on the run from Man. To S. B. | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Ottawan | 1906-10-04 | 1 | Collided with Maude - Maude sunk | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Otter | 1873-08-28 | 3 | Rubbed nose on the middle ground | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Otter | 1874-05-14 | 3 | Aground on middle ground + pulled off | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Otter | 1880-05-06 | 3 | Loaded ice for Union Ice Co. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Otter | 1882-11-09 | 3 | Was in the dry dock this week to stop a leak | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Otter | 1927-08-26 | 13 | Picture |
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.