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 | Steamer | Philadelphia | 1891-12-03 | 3 | Struck a rock near the mouth of the Detroit river last Tues. and sank. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Philadelphia | 1893-11-16 | 3 | Officers refuse to testify as to cause of collission with Albany. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Propeller | Philadelphia | 1881-09-08 | 3 | The propeller Philadelphia considerably damaged the Milwaukee south harbor pier last week, while outward bound. Vessel OK | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Philadelphia | 1893-11-09 | 3 | Collided with str. Albany on L. Huron off Point Aux Barques. Crew took to lifeboats. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steambarge | Philetus Sawyer | 1887-05-19 | 3 | Arrived with a cargo of stone for the harbor at this place yesterday morning | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Philetus Sawyer | 1895-07-11 | 2 | Brought a cargo of stone for the cribs on Tuesday. | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Barge | Philetus Sawyer | 1887-08-18 | 3 | Hagen & English, owners of the barge Philetus Sawyer, propose putting a new boiler in the barge soon, to replace the old one. | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Philetus Sawyer | 1898-11-26 | 1 | On last trip of season | |
| Door County Advocate | Steambarge | Philetus Sawyer | 1897-11-06 | 1 | On 49th trip | |
| Door County Advocate | Steambarge | Philetus Sawyer | 1898-04-23 | 1 | In Green Bay on first trip |
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.