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 | 1896-09-17 | 3 | Arrived here Monday and went into winter quarters. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1897-06-10 | 4 | Left for the season+s work on Fri. night last. She gave a fine exhibition of her search light on Thur. night. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1897-07-22 | 3 | Collided in Milwaukee harbor with Christopher Columbus. Both received damage | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1897-09-23 | 3 | Completed the season last Sunday and arrived here on Monday night. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Whaleback | Virginia | 1898-01-27 | 3 | Goodrich Transportation bought Christopher Columbus to end strife with Virginia. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Virginia | 1898-06-09 | 3 | To leave this port on the 17th inst. to commence her regular trip between Milw. and Chicago. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Virginia | 1898-06-16 | 4 | Refitting is nearly complete, and she will resume her run within a few days. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Virginia | 1898-06-23 | 4 | Left for Chicago early Saturday morning. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Virginia | 1898-09-22 | 3 | Arrived here on Monday and will go into winter quarters. | ||
| Manitowoc Pilot | Virginia | 1899-05-04 | 5 | Has just come out of the dry dock where she had her bottom scraped and painted. |
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.