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 | Barge | Thomas Parson | 1885-06-25 | 3 | Is in port with a cargo of coal for Truman & Cooper | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Consort | Thomas Quagala | 1895-10-31 | 3 | Ran on the Two Rivers Point. tugs Artic and Wright went to the assistance. | |
| Door County Advocate | Thomas Quayle | 1895-11-02 | 5 | Ashore north of Twin River point + released | ||
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Thomas Shaughenessy, Jr. | 1924-04-25 | 5 | First coal boat to pass through Mackinac Straits | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steambarge | Thomas Smith | 1887-09-01 | 3 | Went into the dry dock here last week to have her bottom recalked | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Barge | Thomas Smith | 1887-04-21 | 3 | The schooner Westchester arrived in port on Sunday in tow of the barge Thomas Smith. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Steambarge | Thomas Smith | 1882-03-23 | 3 | Lost its tow entering Milwaukee harbor | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Propeller | Thomas Smith | 1893-11-16 | 3 | Was sunk in collision with Arthur Orr. Libelled it for $25,000 | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Tug | Thomas Spear | 1880-09-30 | 3 | Burned while off Carlton | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Tug | Thomas Spear | 1885-09-10 | 3 | Two scows towed by tug, lumberladen, went ashore at Milw. The tug itself nearly foundered |
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.