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 | Belle Laurie | 1879-02-20 | 8 | The Belle Laurie will load with wheat for E. Decker & Co. in a few days and again depart for Milwaukee. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1879-02-27 | 8 | Sailed from here with 2,000 bushels of wheat for E. Decker & Co. for Milwaukee and will then proceed to Chicago. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1878-12-12 | 4 | The schooner left for Milwaukee Monday morning with about 2,200 bushels of wheat for E. Decker & Co. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1879-01-02 | 8 | Took on 500 bushels of wheat and 300 bags of peas, at Kewaunee, last Saturday, and filled out her load in Ahnapee. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1879-01-16 | 8 | The boys had a pretty tough trip of it due to the weather. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1879-01-30 | 8 | On her trip south put in to Manitowoc harbor during the heavy north easter which set in directly after she left here. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1879-03-13 | 8 | Has a cargo of 2,000 bushels of wheat for E. Decker & Co., for Milwaukee. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Belle Laurie | 1879-03-27 | 8 | Obliged to leave her anchorage under Two Rivers Point on account of rough weather and move to other side of the point. | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1879-04-24 | 8 | Departed April 17, Milwaukee, 3,000 posts for E. Decker & Co. Arrived April 23, Milwaukee. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Belle Laurie | 1879-07-10 | 4 | Brought in a load of hardware and marble on her last trip. |
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.