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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Door County Advocate | Steamlaunch | Ariadne | 1910-03-10 | 1 | To begin fitting out | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Ariadne | 1923-02-16 | 7 | Nearly sank while at dock | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamlaunch | Ariadne | 1906-03-30 | 1 | Repairs to boiler completed | |
| Door County Advocate | Steam launch | Ariadne | 1909-08-12 | 1 | On boxes to have a leak stopped | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Propeller | Ariadne | 1875-10-21 | 8 | Iron propeller from Erie for the lower Mississippi. Had on board an excursion party. | |
| Door County Advocate | Steam-yacht | Ariadue | 1902-06-14 | 1 | Laid up for repairs | |
| Door County Advocate | Steam-yacht | Ariadue | 1903-11-28 | 1 | Make reg. trips from canal to city | |
| Door County Advocate | Barge | Ariah Cobb | 1895-12-21 | 5 | Caught by cold snap at Green Bay | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Aridane | 1908-08-21 | 1 | The gov. boat Inspector in port. It is being used at the canal in place of the Aridane which is undergoing extensive repairs. | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Steamer | Arizona | 1911-09-01 | 4 | Information on the season closing for the Goodrich Line vessels. |
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.