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 | Pere Marquette No. 20 | 1910-11-25 | 8 | Capt. J. C. Ackerman resigned as superintendent of the Ann Arbor car ferry line and will resume his position upon the quarterdeck of the Pere Marquette No. 20 | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 20 | 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. | |
| Door County Advocate | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 21 | 1924-03-21 | 8 | Launched - info on her | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Pere marquette No. 21 | 1 | Into the lock last week for some work. | |||
| Door County Advocate | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 21 | 1924-06-13 | 2 | 360 ft. long | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 21 | 1 | Launched from the local yard. | ||
| Door County Advocate | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 21 | 1924-06-20 | 6 | Info on it | |
| Door County Advocate | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 22 | 1924-10-03 | 11 | Made record trip | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 22 | 1 | Given a trial trip and put into service. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Carferry | Pere Marquette No. 22 | 1 | Released herself from a stranding near Kewaunee last week. |
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.