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 | Van Eps | 1865-08-24 | 3 | Failed to come in due to some accident | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Van Eps | 1866-05-31 | 1 | On rocky reef off Little Cedar Pt. | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Van Hise | 1902-07-19 | 1 | Ran ashore at Sleeping Bear Pt. | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Van Hise | 1904-08-20 | 1 | Ashore at Vermillion point | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Van Raalt | 1888-06-30 | 3 | Ran into by Favorite + sank in 10 minutes | |
| Door County Advocate | Steamer | Van Raalt | 1892-02-13 | 5 | Owned by city of Chicago | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Propeller | Van Raalte | 1871-11-16 | 3 | Sought refuge in our harbor from the late SE and northerly gale | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Van Schaick | 1896-06-27 | 5 | Sold | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Van Valkenberg | 1881-10-06 | 3 | The anchors, chains, rigging, etc., of the lost schooner Van Valkenberg were picked up by a tug and scow. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Van Valkenberg | 1874-05-14 | 4 | Collided with schooner Active, amount of damage unknown |
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.