Newspaper Search

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
Manitowoc Pilot Steamer Spokane 1 One of winter fleet at Manitowoc. Gross tonnage 2356.
Manitowoc Pilot Steamer Spokane 5 Manitowoc winter fleet with carrying capacity 3948 tons
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Fish tug Sport 1913-01-24 1 Had a narrow escape from being burned last Saturday morning.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Fish boat Sport 1914-07-17 1 Captain hosted a party on a trip to Washington Island and return the past week.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Sport 1916-04-21 1 Capt. Frank Chapek, with his boat the Sport, went as far north as Stony Creek to help two individuals bring back from Sturgeon Bay a boat, pile driver and piles for the nets.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Gasoline boat Sport 1915-07-30 1 The Sport left here with a party aboard bound for Mink River on a week's fishing and hunting trip.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Fish boat Sport 1916-07-21 1 Capt. Frank Chapek has had the old cabin on his fish boat torn off and replaced with a new and update cabin the past week. The cabin was damaged in a collision with the Second Street bridge.
Door County Advocate Fishing tug Sport 1913-01-30 1 Nearly burned at Algoma
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Fish boat Sport 1911-09-22 6 Captain Frank Chapek placed his fish boat on the stocks and will give it a thorough overhauling.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Gasoline launch Sport 1906-06-22 1 Is another of the bunch owned here that glides through the water at a merry pace.

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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.

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