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 | Propeller | Oconto | 1881-11-24 | 3 | Cleared about $700 every trip | |
| Door County Advocate | Propeller | Oconto | 1882-08-03 | 3 | Stops at Washington Island | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Oconto | 1901-08-03 | 1 | Sank on rock island, St. Lawrence River 15 yr. ago - slid into deep water | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Propeller | Oconto | 1885-12-17 | 3 | Went ashore at Cassville, Mich. The passengers and all but 4 or the crew were saved. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Propeller | Oconto | 1886-07-15 | 3 | Struck a rock and went to bottom on the St. Lawrence river last Wednesday. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Propeller | Oconto | 1879-12-11 | 4 | The propeller Oconto touched at this port last Monday evening in place of the Chicago. She did not go north. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Propeller | Oconto | 1879-11-20 | 4 | The propeller Oconto has taken the place of the steamer Sheboygan on the route between Chicago and Milwaukee. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Oconto | 1879-10-30 | 4 | The steamer Muskegon, which took the place of the Oconto on her trip to Green Bay was unable to make this port due to heavy waves. | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Propeller | Oconto | 1879-10-02 | 4 | The propeller Oconto passed through the Sturgeon Bay ship canal last Sunday. Her first trip through the cut. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Propeller | Oconto | 1879-06-19 | 5 | Arrived June 18, Green Bay. Departed June 18, Chicago. |
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.