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 | Schooner | Nelson | 1899-05-27 | 1 | Captain in physical + mental problems | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Nelson | 1896-11-28 | 5 | To be thoroughly rebuilt during winter | |
| Door County Advocate | Tug | Nelson | 1904-04-30 | 1 | Rudder replaced | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Nelson | 1889-08-01 | 3 | The tug Nelson took a scow in tow from this port on Saturday morning loaded with 100,000 brick, for Tufft & Hay at Sturgeon Bay. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Nelson | 1900-07-27 | 8 | Harbor was quite lively Wednesday. The Ann Arbor No. 1, liner Atlanta and the tug Nelson towing the large coal barge T. S. Fassett entered the harbor about the same time. | |
| Ahnapee (Algoma) Record | Tug | Nelson | 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 | Nelson | 1888-11-15 | 3 | Tug Nelson arrived with stone from the quarry of Robert Laurie. It is to be used on the government pier at this place. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Nelson | 1875-07-01 | 3 | Passed Port Huron up - June 29th | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Tug | Nelson | 1892-08-11 | 3 | Released steambarge Edward Smith which went on the Whale+s Back just inside the Door last week. | |
| Manitowoc Pilot | Schooner | Nelson | 1899-06-08 | 5 | Ashore at Pilot island and abandoned as a total loss. |
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.