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 | Ferry | Ann Arbor No. 4 | 1 | Hits 10th street bridge house on north side. | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Car ferry | Ann Arbor No. 4 | 1910-12-23 | 1 | The tug John Hunsader released the carferry Ann Arbor No. 4, stuck in the ice in Green Bay for about 24 hours. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Car ferry | Ann Arbor No. 4 | 1911-02-24 | 1 | The entire fleet of Ann Arbor carferries, the Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the latter a new boat, are to be equipped this week with wireless apparatus by the United States Wireless Telegraph company. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Car ferry | Ann Arbor No. 4 | 1911-10-20 | 1 | Ashore at Rock Island for five hours last Saturday. Ann Arbor No. 2 and 5 went to her assistance. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Carferry | Ann Arbor No. 4 | 1912-03-01 | 1 | From Manitowoc. She went ashore a short distance north of the power house. After two hours it succeeded in releasing itself. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Carferry | Ann Arbor No. 4 | 1915-02-19 | 3 | Kewaunee. Carferry business has been large, averaging one boat per day but outdid themselves on Sunday. The Ann Arbor No. 4 arrived before noon, cleared in the afternoon and the No. 5 arrived immediately after. | |
| Door County Advocate | Carferry | Ann Arbor No. 4 | 1923-03-02 | 6 | Working on raising | |
| Door County Advocate | Ann Arbor No. 4 | 1923-04-20 | 5 | Not yet been raised | ||
| Door County Advocate | Carferry | Ann Arbor No. 4 | 1909-02-04 | 1 | Went on Point au Barques | |
| Door County Advocate | Carferry | Ann Arbor No. 4 | 1909-07-22 | 1 | In Milwaukee for about $100,000 of repairs |
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.