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 | Schooner | Willis A. Smith | 1881-10-13 | 3 | In attempting to enter the harbor, missed the entrance and ran on the beach north of the citizens' pier. Was gotten off. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Willis A. Smith | 1881-10-13 | 3 | Found shelter in harbor. Steamer Daisy Day, schooners J. H. Stevens, L. J. Conway, Willis A. Smith, Dawn, D. A. Wells, Tempest, scow Laurel | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steambarge | Willis Gilbert | 1879-11-06 | 3 | Went into the Dry Dock for repairs on Saturday last | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Willis L. King | 1916-04-27 | 3 | 1st boat to take ore out of Escanaba | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Willis L. King | 1910-12-22 | 1 | Launched 604 ft. long and 52 ft. wide | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Willis L. King | 1913-05-15 | 1 | Brought largest ever coal shipment into port of Milwaukee | |
| Door County Advocate | Willis L. King | 1920-08-27 | 5 | Big article - rammed the Superior City | ||
| Door County Advocate | Willis L. King | 1945-09-28 | 1 | Info on vessel to be worked on | ||
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Willis L. King | 1911-11-09 | 1 | To G. B. with 11,300 tons of coal - info on her | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Willow | 1910-06-02 | 1 | Remarkable run from Chicago to Lake Erie |
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.