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 | Revenue cutter | Andrew Johnson | 1877-06-21 | 10 | One of fleet of gov. vessels to visit Lake Michigan ports during the next month. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Revenue cutter | Andrew Johnson | 1879-10-23 | 4 | Government officials are satisfied that it will not need rebuilding. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Revenue Steamer | Andrew Johnson | 1866-06-15 | 1 | New revenue steamer arrived at Milwaukee | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Revenue cutter | Andrew Johnson | 1870-07-28 | 3 | At Milwaukee is to be refitted for active service | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Revenue Cutter | Andrew Johnson | 1871-12-07 | 4 | Returning to Milwaukee, officers given | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Revenue Cutter | Andrew Johnson | 1873-10-16 | 4 | Came into port yesterday | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steamer | Andrew Johnson | 1877-09-27 | 3 | Was in port Tuesday morning | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Revenue cutter | Andrew Johnson | 1889-05-23 | 3 | Reached this place on Monday on the first trip of the season. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Revenue cutter | Andrew Johnson | 1880-08-05 | 3 | It will take two more months to complete the rebuilding owing to the inability of the contractors in securing workmen and timber. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Andrew Johnson | 1877-09-27 | 8 | Recently made the round trip between Chicago and Manistee in 60 hrs., including the time taken to lead 200,000 feet of lumber. |
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.