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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Brown | 1892-06-02 | 3 | The little schooner Brown is being fitted out here for the northern trade, and will sail with the first favorable weather. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Brown | 1892-08-25 | 3 | Is passing a season of inactivity. Rumor has it that the Brown is for sale. | |
| Door County Advocate | Hooker | Brown | 1896-05-30 | 5 | Cargo of lath | |
| Door County Advocate | Steambarge | Brown | 1886-11-04 | 3 | No effort to recover machinery - foundered near Green Island | |
| Door County Advocate | Steambarge | Brown | 1887-09-24 | 3 | Engine + main shaft raised | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Brown | 1895-10-03 | 3 | Sought shelter here on Saturday. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Brown | 1887-08-25 | 3 | Work on it continues. Deck above engine is blown away. | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Brown | 1892-03-31 | 3 | One of vessels wintered here. She is undergoing some repair work | ||
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Schooner | Brown | 1892-09-15 | 3 | The little schooner Brown has been treated to new paint and otherwise improved in looks during the past week. | |
| Door County Advocate | Hooker | Brown | 1896-10-31 | 5 | Towed by tug Nelson |
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.