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Miami Maritime History: Abstracts of Local Newspapers
Copyright 1994. Terence L. Helmers

Acknowledgement that this database is used in your research is expected.

This database of abstracts primarily provides information focused on maritime data in Miami newspapers on ships plying the water in, out and about the Miami Harbor from 1896 to 31 December 2009. Registrations, dockings, shipwrecks, rescues and salvage are noted. Also indexed are articles of interest relating to port building, unusual sea discoveries and early historical happenings around the Miami port. It is meant therefore to be of use not only to the specific data seeker but to Miami historians as well.

This project began in 1988 by searching Miami newspapers for information on submerged cultural resources in the Miami area. At this time a database of daily maritime newspaper articles was started and maintained by reading and recording events out of the current paper. As dates of maritime events became known, newspaper articles were gathered and recorded to document historic happenings.

The need of a comprehensive listing of abstracts was realized while attempting to identify a shipwreck on Long Reef. This was a particulary large wrecksite: steel plates, ribs and debris lying over a 250 foot long area in 30 feet of water. National Park Service archeologists had classified her as a steel hull steamer that probably sank early in the 20th century, but the only information identifying her was scanty local knowledge and a few publications calling the wrecksite “Lugana.” Without a sinking date, thorough interpretation of the site would be impossible. The sinking HAD to be in the newspaper.

On June, 1991, a systematic search of daily newspapers for any maritime related event was started with the 15 May 1896 Miami Metropolis. Every Miami Metropolis (weekly) was searched until the publication of The Daily Miami Metropolis on 7 December 1903. The Miami Morning News and Miami Evening Record merged on 1 December 1907 and became the Miami Morning News – Record. These papers were scanned with occasional digressions for known maritime events. Every Miami Daily Metropolis was searched until the Miami Morning News – Record became The Miami Herald on 1 December 1910. Miami now had two major newspapers. The Daily Miami Metropolis and/or The Miami Herald were searched day by day until 1922. The sinking of the Lugano appeared on 10 March 1913 in both newspapers. A series of newspaper articles, Lloyd’s of London records and other sources have provided the National Park Service with a full interpretation of the this and other wrecksites.

After 1922, The Miami Herald was selected for research purposes because there seemed to be a better placement of national and local news; separate sections for sports, entertainment, classifieds, etc., and almost daily photographs of ships around Miami. Newspapers were read and abstracts recorded through 2009 providing the historian with a most comprehensive Miami maritime listing.

Dedicated to a Miami pioneer: Priscilla Roebling Helmers

Dates and papers searched:

The New York Times:

01 – 05 September 1871
22 – 25 April 1874
16 – 19 December 1891

The London Times:

22 – 25 April 1874
16 – 18 December 1891

Florida Times-Union:

20 Nov 1881 – 15 December 1881

The Miami Metropolis and The Miami News:

15 May 1896 – 18 Feb 1922
24 Feb 1922 – 23 Jun 1922
11 Jul 1922 – 22 Aug 1922
15 Dec 1925 – 02 Jan 1926
01 Jan 1929 – 31 Dec 1931
20 Feb 1938 – 28 Feb 1938
01 May 1938 – 17 May 1938
27 Feb 1939 – 28 Feb 1939
10 Sep 1960 – 15 Dec 1960
13 Aug 1965 – 18 Aug 1965
20 Sep 1966 & 26 Sep 1966
17 Sep 1982 – 20 Sep 1982

The Miami Herald:

01 Jan 1911 – 25 Jan 1911
01 Jan 1913 – 31 May 1913
01 Jul 1913 – 31 Aug 1913
01 Jan 1914 – 11 Mar 1914
01 Jan 1918 – 05 Jan 1918
01 Jan 1920 – 09 Jan 1920
19 Feb 1922 – 23 Feb 1922
12 Jun 1922 – 10 Jul 1922
23 Aug 1922 – 15 Dec 1925
03 Jan 1926 – 19 Feb 1938
01 Mar 1938 – 30 Apr 1938
17 May 1938 – 26 Feb 1939
01 Mar 1939 – 25 Apr 1966
27 Apr 1966 – 31 Dec 2009