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 Steamer Silver Spray 1913-04-24 1 Being gotten in readiness
Door County Advocate Steamer Silver Spray 1912-05-16 1 Being readied for business on lake front
Door County Advocate Steamer Silver Spray 1911-07-20 1 Info on her
Door County Advocate Tug Silver Spray 1912-01-11 1 Lost during 1911
Door County Advocate Fishing tug Silver Spray 1903-10-31 1 Destroyed by fire on a floating dock
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Silver Spray 1909-03-12 1 Frank Urbanek explains work to be done on the Merry Widow. It will come out as the Silver Spray.
Door County Advocate Steamer Silver Spray 1913-05-22 1 Passed government inspection
Door County Advocate Fishing tug Silver Spray 1911-03-23 1 Seven lives lost in sinking
Door County Advocate Silver Spray 1912-06-20 1 Capt. T. Ewing
Door County Advocate Tug Silver Spray 1911-07-20 1 Dismantled hull still lying where driven last spring

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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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