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 | Harbor | Portage | 1873-12-04 | 3 | $36,000 has been spent on the Portage harbor piers during the season just closed. | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Portage | 1902-08-02 | 1 | Out of line by 16 - caused by striking steamer Viking | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Portage | 1903-11-28 | 1 | Caught in gale with disabled machinery | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Portage | 1868-04-30 | 4 | River line | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Portage | 1902-07-19 | 1 | Aground at St. Clair flats - now aground on Grand Island | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Portch | 1884-02-28 | 3 | To receive $16,722 in damages from steamer Leland | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Porter | 1888-08-02 | 3 | Was in the dry dock last week for repairs | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Porter | 1896-05-23 | 5 | Coal laden - ran on Peshtigo shoal | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Porter | 1871-07-20 | 3 | Made 40 trips from Peshtigo to Chicago last season and 20 this season | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Scow | Porter | 1891-05-07 | 3 | Into port from across the lake, having lost her center board during the trip. Left for Milwaukee where a new board will be put in. |
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.