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 | car ferry | Bessemer and Marquette No. 2 | 1909-12-17 | 1 | The Bessemer and Marquette ferry, No. 2 lost on Lake Erie. The state fisheries boat the Comodore Perry brought in a small boat with the frozen bodies of nine of the car ferry's crew. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Bessie Berwick | 1887-11-17 | 3 | The vessel was lost two weeks ago. No wreck location given. Crew safe. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Bessie Boalt | 1877-04-19 | 8 | Made her appearance for the first time in a number of years. Built in Ahnapee about 9 years ago. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Bessie Boalt | 1877-11-15 | 8 | Is again upon the beach near Frankfort. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Bessie Boalt | 1878-11-14 | 8 | Bessie Boalt arrived in this port last Monday for the first time in many moons. | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Bessie Boalt | 1884-10-02 | 3 | Info about capsized schooner | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Bessie Boalt | 1871-11-23 | 3 | Ran into the pier and lost her head gear | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Bessie Boalt | 1868-12-31 | 4 | Marine disasters 1868 - Damaged while lying at a pier at Wolf River | |
| Door County Advocate | Schoonr | Bessie Boalt | 1869-01-07 | 4 | Built at Wolf River, Lake Michigan in 68 | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Bessie Boalt | 1882-09-14 | 3 | Ashore near Horn s Pier |
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.