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 | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 17 | 1911-12-15 | 1 | The Pere Marquette Carferry No. 20 went aground on Rocky Reef near Milwaukee. The cars were transferred to the No. 17. The tugs Meyer and Welcome at this point were unable to release her. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 17 | 1910-09-23 | 1 | Engineer on steamer Pere Marquette No. 17 resigns. His brother was on the Pere Marquette No. 18 when it went down. | |
| Door County Advocate | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 17 | 1923-05-18 | 6 | Collided with Pere Marquette No. 4 in L. Mich. | |
| Door County Advocate | Car ferry | Pere Marquette No. 18 | 1905-02-18 | 1 | Struck steamer Ottawa | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 18 | 1917-01-05 | 1 | As the carferry passed through the piers at Ludington, Capt. John Ackerman dropped over dead in the pilot house from an attack of heart failure. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 18 | 1910-09-23 | 1 | Engineer on steamer Pere Marquette No. 17 resigns. His brother was on the Pere Marquette No. 18 when it went down. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 18 | 1910-09-30 | 1 | Portions of the wreck of Pere Marquette No. 18 being washed ashore. The tug Topaz picked up an oar from the carferry No. 17 | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Car ferry | Pere Marquette No. 18 | 1910-12-30 | 1 | New Pere Marquette boat to replace the No. 18 is launched at South Chicago. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 18 | 1910-09-16 | 1 | The Pere Marquette No. 18 went down with 31 on board. The Pere Marquette No. 17 went to its rescue. Worst disaster on the lakes since the sinking of the Lady Elgin in 1860. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Pere Marquette No. 18 | 1 | Hit a protruding plank passing through Eighth street bridge. |
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.