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
Door County Advocate Steamer Thistle 1917-02-15 1 Bill of sale being drawn up
Door County Advocate Steamer Thistle 1915-06-03 1 Getting ready to go into commission
Door County Advocate Steamer Thistle 1914-12-17 1 Wintering at this port
Door County Advocate Steamer Thistle 1914-08-20 12 Lost one of the buckets
Door County Advocate Steamer Thistle 1914-06-04 1 Placed on run June 15th
Door County Advocate Steamer Thistle 1914-04-09 6 Picture and sale bill
Manitowoc Pilot Schooner Thistle 1873-09-11 4 Launched from Dry Dock Co.+s yard
Manitowoc Pilot Schooner Thistle 1877-09-13 3 To haul 4,000 barrels of resin to Rotterdam, Holland
Manitowoc Pilot Schooner Thistle 1885-12-10 3 363 tons. built by G. S. Rand in 1873
Manitowoc Pilot Steam yacht Thistle 1893-09-07 3 Was in port on Monday

Page 5656 of 6219

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.

© 2025 - Wisconsin Sea Grant, Wisconsin Historical Society