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 | 1877-12-20 | 8 | Delivered cargo here. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1877-11-29 | 8 | Cleared Nov. 24 for Milwaukee with wheat for E. Decker & Co. Arrived at Ahnapee Nov. 29 from Milwaukee. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Scow | Belle Laurie | 1877-08-23 | 8 | Cleared 16th for Milwaukee with 35 cds of wood for F. Paarman. Arrived Aug 22 from Milwaukee. Cleared 22 for Milwaukee with 30 cds. Of wood on account of vessel. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1877-09-27 | 8 | Cleared 20th for Milwaukee with wheat. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1877-10-11 | 8 | Arrived at Ahnapee Oct. 9 from Milwaukee. Cleared Oct. 10 for Milwaukee with wheat. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1877-09-13 | 8 | Arrived at Ahnapee Sept. 9 from Milwaukee. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1879-01-30 | 3 | In for shelter, to Milwaukee with 2,000 bu. wheat | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1880-02-19 | 3 | Wind bound, loaded with wheat and lumber for Milwaukee | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1883-05-17 | 3 | Narrow escape from going to the bottom | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Belle Laurie | 1891-11-21 | 5 | Ashore at Baileys Harbor |
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.