Newspaper Search

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 Schooner Ralph Campbell 1901-10-26 1 In for shelter
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Schooner Ralph Campbell 1880-10-21 3 At canal, crib broke and emptied itself and the Ralph Campbell ran into a scow, cut her in two, and sank her.
Door County Advocate Schooner Ralph Campbell 1899-04-29 1 Made 1st trip to Frankfort
Door County Advocate Schooner Ralph Campbell 1902-04-19 1 Had jibboom carried away in squall
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Fish tug Ralph Cooper 1913-03-21 5 Fish tug Ralph Cooper, owned by Wondrasek and Devine, sold to Johnson and Jacobson for $2,000. Mr. Chas. Wondrasek has accepted a berth on the tug Sioux, formerly called the Jesse Spaulding.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Fish tug Ralph Cooper 1913-02-28 1 Was forced to return to port after battling with the ice off this port for several hours.
Door County Advocate Tug Ralph Cooper 1898-02-26 1 Equipped with a steam net lighter
Door County Advocate Tug Ralph Cooper 1903-07-11 1 Sold for $800
Door County Advocate Tug Ralph Cooper 1896-02-08 5 Having good fishing
Door County Advocate Tug Ralph Cooper 1913-04-10 1 Sold to Johnson & Jacobson

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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.

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