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 | Virginia | 1892-06-23 | 3 | While lying at the dock here she was visited by crowds of people. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1892-12-22 | 3 | In winter quarters at this place | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1893-06-08 | 3 | Made her initial trip of the season on Sat. last. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1893-11-16 | 3 | Went into winter quarters at this place on Sunday morning. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1894-04-19 | 3 | New buckets in the wheel to be made of cast steel. Hope to get a speed of 20 mph. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1894-06-14 | 3 | Was out in the bay yesterday testing her new wheels whereby it is expected she will greatly increase her speed | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1894-09-06 | 4 | Four deck hands mutinied and Captain Stines thrashed one of them. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1894-11-08 | 3 | Ed Langrell, clerk, is in the city closing up the affairs of the steamer of which he is purser. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1895-06-06 | 3 | Great many improvements have been made on here since she laid up here. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1895-10-10 | 3 | Went into winter quarters here on Sunday last. |
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.