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 | Scow | Becker | 1890-11-13 | 3 | Capt. John Latham was over here on Monday superintending work on the wrecked scow Becker. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Scow | Becker | 1890-11-13 | 3 | Tug John Latham arrived from Sturgeon Bay, with steam pump, and will attempt to raise the scow Becker and pump her out. | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Beech Bay | 1925-08-07 | 7 | Aground off reef east of St. Martin s Island | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Beech Bay | 1925-08-07 | 7 | Ocean vessel in Green Bay | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Beers | 1891-07-04 | 8 | Loaded at Whitefish Bay | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Beers | 1893-04-27 | 3 | Wind bound here and seeking safety from the storm | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Beers | 1891-08-01 | 5 | Loading lumber at Whitefish Bay | |
| Door County Advocate | Steambarge | Beers | 1890-04-12 | 5 | At canal | |
| Door County Advocate | Marine Directory | Beeson s Marine directory | 1933-07-14 | 6 | In 1913 Directory was issued | |
| Door County Advocate | Scow | Behrman | 1897-03-13 | 1 | A bill against it |
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.