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
Manitowoc Pilot Propeller Sovereign 1878-06-27 3 Into harbor for refuge
Manitowoc Pilot Propeller Sovereign 1873-07-03 4 Engineer robbed by two deck hands
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Tug Spalding 1887-05-19 3 Tug was towing a fleet of 4 vessels through the bridge when one of the vessels anchor dropped, drug and severed telephone wires.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Tug Spalding 1887-09-22 3 The schooner Cheeney Ames ran on the reef at Bailey's Harbor. She was released by the tugs Spalding and Nelson, of Sturgeon Bay.
Ahnapee (Algoma) Record Tug Spalding 1887-08-11 3 Barge S. C. Hall with consorts Michigan and Sam Flint, ran on a reef three miles south of Bailey's Harbor. Tug Spalding towed the Flint in.
Door County Advocate Tug Spalding 1887-10-29 3 Struck Nelson amidship
Door County Advocate Tug Spalding 1887-03-17 3 Examination shows boiler needs extra repairs
Door County Advocate Tug Spalding 1887-03-24 3 Repairs to boiler to cost about $1500
Door County Advocate Tug Spalding 1887-06-25 3 Raced the Nelson - Nelson won
Door County Advocate Tug Spalding 1887-04-23 3 Into drydock for repairs on stern-bearing

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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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