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 | Steamer | Chicago | 1877-09-06 | 8 | Arrived at Ahnapee Sept. 1 from Chicago. Cleared 1st for Chicago. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Chicago | 1877-08-23 | 4 | William Johns, a passenger on the steamer was robbed at Port Washington of $220 by a porter boy named Nick Walter. The thief was arrested and the money recovered. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Chicago | 1912-05-10 | 1 | Goodrich schedule given. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Chicago | 1912-05-17 | 7 | One of the vessels mentioned in a big article written by an old steamboat man of forty odd years and given in the Chicago Magazine. This is a continuation of previous articles. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Side wheeler | Chicago | 1915-04-23 | 4 | The company plans to convert the old side wheeler Chicago into a freight boat for use along the west shore. The main deck and cabin of the Chicago would be removed. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Chicago | 1915-08-13 | 2 | The steamer Chicago which has been freighting between Chicago and Sturgeon Bay was taken off the run and laid up in Manitowoc. The Georgia will replace it. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Chicago | 1897-10-07 | 3 | The Goodrich boat Chicago was in port Monday and loaded a large amount of grain and peas. | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Chicago | 1898-09-09 | 3 | The schooner Bock wouldn't get out of the way of the steamer Chicago so it could dock. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Chicago | 1881-09-15 | 3 | The L. B. Shepherd dropped anchor at Two Creeks. Assistance of str. Chicago denied. Tugs Com. Nutt and M. A. Gagnon towed it to Man. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Chicago | 1881-09-15 | 3 | The Chicago only came as far north as Kewaunee on her last regular Sat. trip, and discharged freight and passengers for this city there. |
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.