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 | Schooner | Bell | 1899-04-28 | 3 | The schooners Industry and Bell of Sturgeon Bay, that wintered here, were fitted out last Saturday. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Bell | 1899-06-02 | 3 | The mosquito fleet was in port with lumber this week. The Wright and Pearl having lumber for H. Grimm and the Bell and Defender lumber and lath. | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Hooker | Bell | 1898-12-09 | 3 | Is in port and her captain is thinking of placing her in winter quarters here as he is unable to get into Sturgeon Bay, his home port. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Bell | 1899-06-02 | 3 | One of the crew fell into the river while climbing from a small boat onto his vessel. He was rescued by one of his shipmates. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Bell | 1899-05-19 | 3 | The wind blew hard and the schooners Industry and Bell had trouble in getting inside the harbor piers. | |
| Door County Advocate | Bell Brown | 1897-01-30 | 1 | Chicago winter moorings of lumber fleet | ||
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Bell Culbert | 1905-11-25 | 1 | Held up for 3 wks. with weather | |
| Door County Advocate | Propeller | Bell P. Cross | 1896-04-11 | 5 | Contemplates conversion into a wrecker | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Bella | 1 | Capt. is Humphrey. Part of history given by Timothy Kelly Sr. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Belle | 2 | Collided with steamer Gray Eagle 5 mi. above Alton, Ill. on the Mississippi |
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.