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 | Steambarge | Smith | 1887-11-17 | 3 | To be lengthened 32 feet. Total length to be about 172 feet and carrying capacity increased about 100%. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Smith | 1908-11-27 | 1 | The tug Duncan City, with the barge Ida Corning in tow, stranded off Clay Banks, east, during a dense fog. The tug Smith took the lifesaving crew to the stranded boats. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Smith | 1899-11-24 | 3 | Capt. Armstrong of the schooner Smith, is securing a load of Christman trees at thios place, which he will take to Mulwaukee and dispose of. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Smith | 1899-11-24 | 3 | Capt. Armstrong of the schooner Smith, is securing a load of Christmas trees at this place, which he will take to Milwaukee and dispose of. | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Smith | 1899-05-06 | 1 | Towing three schooners | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Smith | 1899-07-08 | 1 | Mishap to engine | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Smith | 1899-07-15 | 1 | Repainted | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Smith | 1898-11-26 | 1 | Brought sch. W. O. Goodman and York State in from lake | |
| Door County Advocate | Steambarge | Smith | 1882-11-16 | 3 | First mate seriously injured | |
| Door County Advocate | Barge | Smith | 1897-04-03 | 1 | Expedition formed to raise sunken barge |
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.