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 | Schooner | Willie Keller | 1881-06-30 | 3 | Tonnage 263, built at Manitowoc in 1871 by Jasper Hanson | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Willie Louter | 1881-06-30 | 3 | From Kewaunee. The schooners Rand, Sardinia, Willie Louter and I. L. Shank have cleared during the week with cargoes. | |
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Willie Louth | 1896-12-26 | 5 | Wintering at Milwaukee | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Willie Loutit | 1899-10-13 | 3 | The schooner Kate Howard and Willie Loutit came in port for shelter, there being a heavy sea outside. | ||
| Door County Advocate | Schooner | Willie Loutit | 1898-01-08 | 1 | One of Milwaukee winter fleet | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Willie Loutit | 1887-04-14 | 3 | Kewaunee. Vessels cleared this port during the week. 5000 ties, for Mashek & Metzner. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Willie Richards | 1878-05-23 | 8 | Worked all night removing bar to harbor. There is now over 7 feet of water there. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Tug | Willie Richards | 1873-05-15 | 4 | Had up stream to try the working of her engines | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Tug | Willie Richards | 1873-09-11 | 4 | Captain Thos. O+Melin leaving C. C. Butts to captain Richards | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Tug | Willie Richards | 1874-08-27 | 4 | Brought schooner M. C. Post into port - was beached |
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.