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 | Survey tug | Search | 1914-10-09 | 5 | The government survey tug Search has been working along the shore between here and Kewaunee the last week taking soundings and surveys. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Search | 1914-10-23 | 1 | Work of charting the lake off this port will take until about November 1st at which time they will sail for Cleveland to go into winter quarters. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Search | 1915-03-26 | 4 | Tug Search bought here 9,000 pounds of fish from Washington Island. Earlier the tug Henry Gust brought in 9,000 pounds. In all 25,000 pounds were shipped from here last week. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Search | 1872-09-05 | 2 | Arrived at this port on Monday evening last, and left again on Tues. morning | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Search | 1903-08-29 | 1 | Taking soundings at the foot of Green bay | |
| Door County Advocate | Fishing tug | Search | 1914-01-22 | 1 | Extensive repairs at Manitowoc | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Search | 1913-10-23 | 1 | Making shore surveys in Sheboygan | |
| Door County Advocate | Fish tug | Search | 1920-07-30 | 6 | Left port after having a new engine installed | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Search | 1921-05-13 | 12 | Work done at Smith yard | |
| Door County Advocate | Fish tug | Search | 1922-04-28 | 12 | Having work done on stern bearings |
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.