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 | Steambarge | W. L. Brown | 1887-07-23 | 3 | Deck blown off - boiler + machinery to be released | |
| Door County Advocate | Steambarge | W. L. Brown | 1887-06-18 | 3 | Wreck located | |
| Door County Advocate | Steambarge | W. L. Brown | 1887-07-30 | 3 | Anchors and chains recovered | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Propeller | W. L. Brown | 1886-11-04 | 3 | W. L. Brown, formerly the Neptune, took on water rapidly and sank attempting to ground on Peshtigo reef. John Leathem took on crew. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | W. L. Brown | 1887-06-16 | 3 | Sunken steamer W. L. Brown, in Green Bay, can't be found. Capt. Merriman attempting to raise the Selah Chamberlain. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | W. L. Brown | 1887-07-21 | 3 | After an examination by a diver, the W. L. Brown will be abandoned. Her machinery will be attempted to be recovered. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Barge | W. L. Brown | 1887-08-04 | 3 | Door County Advocate says that the owners of the barge will spend $10 for every dollar realized out of the wreck. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Barge | W. L. Brown | 1887-09-22 | 3 | Work on the wreck is now completed. All that is left is to hoist the engine and boiler upon the docks in this city. | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | W. L. Brown | 1914-05-14 | 1 | Coal for Ashtabula | |
| Door County Advocate | Steam barge | W. L. Brown | 1881-07-14 | 3 | Passed through in tow of tug Thrall |
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.