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Please dont judge us without knowing us! Over four decades, later, on July 30, 2011, I spent an afternoon on Bob-Lo. . [25], American investors were scared away after the September 11 attacks, which hurt the financial outlook for the development. [5] The boats were sold off as a result of a decision to shutter operations at the Detroit dock. [2] The existence of such an organization would certainly be complicated by the facts that 1) Bob-Lo is a Canadian island with an overbearing American past, and 2) today Bob-Lo primarily serves asa retreat for the wealthy, who I can imagine would not want people coming to visit the historical remains there,any more than they would want hunters (although if theyown a cat or a small dog, the latter might be welcome if they could take care of the coyote population). Take a look at the link below as we take you a journey through what was once Boblo Island Amusement Park, right up to its emerging transformation. It is so cool to see the old dock piers and the beach is sand. British troops captured 60 of the attackers and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. Enjoy After 1796, British interests controlled the island and it was the staging point for the first local action in the War of 1812. A tennis court sits next to a home on the island. mike smithson tutor perini; ford f 350 ignition switch replacement. - Marva, I am 63 years old and I remember Bob-lo so well. This house is 2,040 square feet with a full basement. [2], Though it was not looking for a buyer, the Michigan AAA sold Boblo Island in 1988 to the International Broadcasting Corporation, a Minneapolis-based concern that owned the Harlem Globetrotters and Ice Capades. People quit coming in the 1980s, then the money for upkeep is not there. Ferry passengers could be going to the island to patronize the restaurant. People should not be making assumptions about the island residents. In 1993, after nearly 100 years in the business of entertainment, it was decided that the park was to be closed. Boblo (or Bob-Lo) sparks memories for many adults who spent summers riding the ferry to Boblo Island, visiting its amusement park or just enjoying a picnic. The ship in mid-swing. A private community is now being built on the island. One to pick up, and one to return people. "Living on the island feels like being on vacation everyday," said Gena Boschin, a former Tennessee resident who lives on the island and works in Amherstburg. The people of Detroit, Michigan, characterized it as the city's Coney Island. With probably more than a bit of clean-up and reconstruction, it would make a wonderful venue for a wedding reception!!! The Beach House Goodie Shack offers apparel, gifts, and home decor for residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday. The remnants of Boblo Island Amusement Park: Livingstone writes that the white sand beach was created in 1957 when a vein of sand in the mouth of the river was dredged by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as they deepend the Amherstburg Channel to St. Lawrence Seaway standards, opening the Great Lakesto the world.. The 375-foot Sky Tower, rusting and visible from the Powerhouse and most of the island, as well as from other locations on the river like Grosse Ile: And a few other buildings, like the open one that may have housed the dodgem cars built in 1928, and another with more shattered windows, the Souvenir building. At the end of the turbulent 75 minutes, Boblo Boats brings us up-to-date on restoration efforts for both ferries while simultaneously summoning an unanticipated moral force. And a Fairyland park on the ocean in OR, etc. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this site. Valentine and Sons United Publishing Company - This image is part of the Canadian Copyright Collection held by the British Library, and has been digitized as part of the "Picturing Canada" project. It runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at a fee of $10 each way. Its a shame that Boblo Island had to close. The rides were sold in 1994, but as we discovered via YouTube, a number of the park's structures still stand on the island. . The park has been closed since 1993 DETROIT - Say the name "Boblo" to anyone who grew up around Michigan, and their eyes will light up. St. In June 1945, Sarah Elizabeth Ray and 12 other female workers involved in the war effort (and referred to as "girls" during the legal proceedings) took part in a sponsored trip to Boblo Island. Of more concern than strangers arriving by ferry would be the boats that pull up and anchor around the island on summer days. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court and resulted in a notable 1948 decision construing the scope of the commerce clause. Not fair to blame millionaires when often it is a corporation that can run out money after 5 or 6 bad years. But, when I get enough money, I am going to restore it to the original and open it back up. For those who lived it firsthand, though, Boblo Island was an accessible and affordable paradise right in Detroit's backyard. This thrilling park closed its doors for good in 1981, but not before providing visitors with decades of fun. OBSCURIST TOURIST 025 - Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. why did boblo island close. These steamers are the oldest passenger steamers in the United States of America, currently anchored at the Great Lakes Steel Dock in Ecorse, Michigan. How I recall the fun times of going to Bob-Lo, with my sisters and brother. The SS Ste. Visiters to the marina can visit the small gallery of photographs and paintings of water scenes or rent bikes to explore the island (although what appeared to be the bike rental building was closed on this July Saturday, so perhaps not). Few physical reminders remain from the amusement park, which closed in 1993, but the island has had a surprising resurgence - as a quiet but thriving residential community. It's docked in New York. Its very sad because growing up that was all everyone talked about was Boblo Island, and all the amazing memories. It is a story told in a new movie that premiered last week in Detroit called "Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale". We also traveled from. Two years later, very little had been done.[34]. [11] Roger Fachini, a 40-year-old engineer for General Dynamics and owner of a waterpark in Utica, Michigan, placed the winning $3.8 million bid and proposed redevelopment after two years,[12][13] but Boblo's creditors turned it down; after the deposit cheque bounced, they took $600,000 less in the bid from Enchanted Parks of Seattle, owners of the Wild Waves Theme Park near that city. The price is a little over $300k. I wish that the people that bought this island could restore it. Windsor Mayor Arthur John Reaume wanted the island to be designated a National Park. It was a terrible idea to put a roller coaster in there. Gone are the roller coasters, but there are plenty of haunting remnants from Boblo Island Amusement Park, which delivered thrills and family fun from 1898 to September 30, 1993. In fact didn''t go as much as I would of liked to. Here's what we saw as we recently explored the amusement park area. The folks from the residential areas use golf carts toget to the community pool in the center of the island, just a stones throw from the almost hundred-year-old, still standing Dance Pavilion: And here is where things get interesting. [1] The "Bob-Lo boats" boats were sold in November 1991. Its a wonderful feeling strolling the island, standing next to buildings where 10s of thousands of souls now long departed use to frequent. 90-year old Captain Bob-Lo greets passengers - 1970s. The ferry leaves every 20 minutes from a dock next to the Bob-Lo Discovery Centre. The ride takes about 5 or 10 minutes, instead of the hour it used to take whenone departedon the other side of the border. [19] He vaguely proposed a casino, hotel, and other development. Look at Sugar Island.it once was a special place. For more than 85 years, the Boblo Island Amusement Park was famous for being served by the Steamer Ste Claire and the Steamer Columbia excursion boats that could hold about 2,500 passengers each. Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. One of the three original blockhouses still stands on the southern end of the island. The Park which eventually became Boblo Amusement Park got its first ride, the 178 48-animal Mangels-Illions Carousel. Today, 24 years after the park was closed and 118 years after its grand opening, little remains as a reminder of the islands history. A shack which held dynamite used for dredging the near-by channel was fired into by a group of boys out hunting or fishing. I mean Harbour House is nice, but would be nice to have a better view of the water (other than the marina) where you can watch the big ships go by. Quite disappointing that we never went back, management was doing a terrible job. Abandoned Boblo Island Amusement Park is a former amusement park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. Once known as Bois Blanc Island, Boblo lies on the Detroit River on the Canadian side. Photo courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society. As I have written to the owner of the company that bought the island: You have no idea how much Boblo Island Amusement Park was to our society. Many of the other rides are still entertaining guests at parks in Texas, Maryland, British Columbia, and Mexico. Everyone has a memory to tell. The name 'Boblo' came back recently after a massive fire destroyed an iconic ferry that used to take people to and from the now closed island amusement park. About Boblo Island Amusement Park: Over the years, the park began to decline and wane in popularity. Today the community on this island is known as the Marina Resort Community. when was the last day of this park operated (i mean the last summur )when it was open for public for the last and until what day was the ferry or the steamer making trip, and can you visit it now. The steamers, the Ste. Boblo Island looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide. steeped in history is open for business. I dont know about draft/depth info or dock fees, not being a boater, myself, and having instead taken the ferry from Amherstburg, Ontario. Check out the tracker on the SE side of Boblo! To the north of the road leading from the ferry dock is a subdivision ofmini-mansions and duplexes, with an emphasis on stone and heavy on Victorian-style turrets. Presented in the name of the border cities of Detroit, Windsor, and Amherstburg. Rochester Hills mom testifies about 2 . 3 F 1 1/2. Really sad. The kitchen and dining space of the tri-plex. Is there a safe dock area, in which to leave our boat-(also Draft/depth) info .Is there a dock fee? I had the pleasure of delivering a load of stuffed animals to the Park in the early 1990s, was a trip i will never forget, driving my Freightliner truck and a 48 foot trailer onto the wharf to make the trip across the river in the middle of the night over to the island then driving around the the park, having to stop and wait for the park benches to be moved for me to able to get truck and trailer around the turns stopping here and there to off load these stuffed toys into little electric carts for the arcade games before the park opened the next day, Friday of a May 24 weekend. With a blast of the big steam whistle, lines were cast off, and the 20-mile voyage began, taking about 80 minutes. Author: Michael R Stoller Jr CC BY-ND 2.0 The reasons for its closure were numerous, ranging from rising maintenance costs and poor management to stronger competition from the nearby, more attractive Cedar Point Park. Bois Blanc Island, Pointe Aux Pins, MI 49775 +1 231-634-7100 + Add website + Add hours. Boblo Boats: A Detroit Fairy Tale The railroad began operating on the island in 1956. Most of the homes on the island also come with a large amount of property. . The only other way to get to the island is to dock a private boat. The island is now a residential community. In the years leading up to its closure, many of the rides were sold to satisfy debts. Built in the early 1900s, the SS Columbia and SS Ste. Claire, which used to take passengers to Boblo Island, sits on the Detroit River in August 2015. Bring a bike or plan to hike as the only streets to accommodate cars are in the development. Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. Barb's Boblo Tavern. How to live on Boblo Island: A street sign shows people where they are as they arrive on the island. Although there was a bike rental business near the marina and Beach House Restaurant on the west side of the island (the ferry dock is on the east side of the island), it was not open for business on the beautiful summer weekend day I was there, so I wouldnt count on being able to rent a bike on the island. In 1991, the two Boblo boats were sold and smaller ferries took people from Gibraltar, MI., to the island, as well as to and from Amherstburg, Ontario. In the beginning it was a picnic spot with beaches, athletic fields, bicycle tracks, and a stunning Mangels-Illions carousel. It was the site of a conflict in 1838 during the Upper Canadian Rebellion, where 50 attackers were locked in one of the three blockhouses that had been built on the island. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The operations ended in 1993. By each step it became more clear that this was left for dead a long time ago. Answer: 90% of the time, it's because the parks don't have enough money and/or business to keep up with running costs, and the parks simply close and are left to rot. Residents of the small community live among acres and acres of nature, just steps from water. The Detroit river is very short - it merely connects Lake Huron with Lake Erie. Some of the most popular rides were "The Nightmare," "Sky Streak, "Screamer," and "Wild Mouse.". For many people the best ride of the day was on the Bob-Lo Boat that took visitors to the island. Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company, From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina. In fact, one of those . If the boat looks familiar, it is not your imagination. Although I had $8.00 in Canadian currency in hand to pay the ferry toll, I rode the ferry without being charged and with no questions asked. The ferry runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. [2], The State of Michigan brought a racial discrimination case against the operators of the ferry service. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. One island. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. 6 reviews #1 of 2 Restaurants in Pointe Aux Pins American Pub. I vaguely remember going to Boblo Island Amusement Park as a kid and recently found myself wondering what happened to the place. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Mon-Wed 8:30 - 7:00 Thu-Fri 8:30 - 7:00 Sat 8:30 . If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. For 81 years, she ferried generations of families as they experienced a Windsor-Detroit right of passage: an island getaway to the beloved Boblo Island amusement park. It is not fair that these people can just take away the little bit of history we have left just so they can watch their bank accounts rise. An island in Amherstburg, Ont. If anyone has Meade Gougeon's cell number, seriously, call him. You do it for other people. You can just picture all of the kids having fun smashing into each other in their cars. A woman leans against the fence in the foreground to take a picture of the ride. Hard to believe it was an big destination, it seems too small to support an amusement park. "We are at the point in restoration to where it was a steel skeleton structure ready to be rebuilt." You will find even more information in: Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island, by Patrick Livingstone (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2008); Bob-Lo: An Island in Troubled Waters, by Annessa Carlisle (Royal Oak, MI: Momentum Books, 2005); and for more photographs, Bob-Lo Revisited, by Bill Rauhausuer (Chicago: Lorentz, 2003). RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. - 585. The subdivision consists of a loop of a street containing a court within the loop. Suddenly, without any warning, there was a relatively large mammal in the middle of the trail, directly in the line of my front bike tire. To tell you the truth I remember the boat rides to the park more than the park itself. The old Dance Hall sits majestically abandoned on the center of the island. The back of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford and built in 1913. There appears to be no such organization, which may not be so surprising. That is what the park was supposed to be about. No one was injured, and there is no word as to what punishment the boys received. I know the kids and people of this generation are definitely looking forward to more developments. The last day of "Oldies Week" is today (at least for now), and the response from the Woody Boater community was fantastic. [27] Dominic Amicone became the new owner in 2005. She was one of the first residents of Boblo Island. The first amusement park rides were moving by 1910. . [1] Other smaller ferries served the park from Amherstburg and Gibraltar, Michigan, which were located closer to the park on the Detroit River. Locate and compare Service d'ambulance in Mersea ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. Scattered over the restof the island, there are still a number of structures left from other erasmidst overgrown grass, downed limbs from trees, and more than a few other surprises: At the south end of the island, two pieces of history, although damaged, still stand: In the portion of the island that was once the amusement parkBob-Lo as the babyboomers knew ita number of structures still stand: Unfortunately, despite a private-property-no-trespassing sign . Boblo Island Timeline from the Detroit News, "Bob-Lo Excursion Co. v. Michigan, 333 U.S. 28 (1948)", "Boblo amusement park purchased by U.S. firm", "Park yours for $9 million: Owner says sellany development OK", "Boblo remains viable business, observer says", "Boblo Island gets no nibbles, no takers, says realtor", "Bad news rains on financially troubled Boblo", "Michigan investors unlikely to appeal Boblo ownership", "Boblo tradition seems safer with Seattle owner", "Dance band on the Titanic: Boblo's last tangle", "Former Boblo partner sues ex-partners over sale", "Boblo's roller-coaster saga ends: Piece by historic piece, popular park dismantled", "Boblo's heyday not forgotten: New owner has ties to area", "New Boblo owner offers few details to packed house", "Boblo Island to get 52-home development", "Oram outlines plans for Boblo Island's condominium project", "Boblo in receivership: Island awash in $19M in red ink", "Boblo adrift in red ink: Receiver KPMG finds no money left", "Boblo rising from the dust: New ownership infuses elite island community with optimism", "Amherstburg reminisces after Boblo Island tower demolished", Boblo Island Dance Hall Story from the Detroit News, "Detroit Free Press: Former Boblo Island music machine may draw up to $2.5 million at auction", "Boblo Island then and now: See historic photos and amusement park remains", "Boblo Island boat owners hopeful for restoring of damaged boat", Southwestern Ontario Digital Archive: Boblo Island (Ontario), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boblo_Island_Amusement_Park&oldid=1114994535, Tourist attractions in Essex County, Ontario, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 9 October 2022, at 09:00. Wild grapevine has made it to the second floor balcony of the gallery. His legacy died when the company came in and took over the park. 2023 Detroit Historical Society. The restaurants 2013 grand opening was May 24th. There's a white sand beach, walking trails, water sports, a waterside restaurant, an ice cream parlor and an in-ground pool. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. This is the view now from the end of the tunnel. One step on the old dock, and I saw an old run-down white platform, no life, no care in worldlike everyone was evacuated and told not to come back. The Boblo Island amusement park closed in the 1990s after a century of operation. (LogOut/ Over the years, the crowds going to Bob-Lo on the boat would were increasingly loud and rude and some people avoided going to Bob-Lo to avoid the noise. Or for the Lavatory building next to it, built to match the other stone buildings on the island. The only access was via one of two ferries from Detroit or Amherstburg, the SS Ste. wayne hills high school marching band; code postal ariana borj louzir; homes for sale on cary drive auburn, al Hundreds of small amusement parks went out in 1980s as families all went to super amusement parks like Cedar Point and Six Flags and did not visit small ones often. The Bobl-Lo Island of today? [1], The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the Detroit River. As one can use motor vehicles only in the northern residential tip of the island, if you plan to explore the island, you may want to bring a bike with you. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. [14], The 1993 season proved bumpy and was marred by miscues including disputes with island residents and the Canadian Coast Guard, compounded by the leader of Enchanted Parks, Michael Moodenbaugh, being seriously injured and breaking his spine in a car accident in Toledo, Ohio, in September. Officially, Bob-Lo Island is now billed as a Marina Resort Community, but Bob-Lo currently exhibits the most profound split personality of any islandperhaps any placeIve ever been. What remains of the boat after the fire is currently docked at Riverside Marina in Detroit. Over the roughly two-and-a-half decades that have passed since the closure, many of the most telltale signs of the park have faded away, including the ultra spooky-looking ferry boats that used to. This amusement park, while once the delight of both kids and adults until the early 90s, has been abandoned for more than two decades. It is sad, Cheryl. Boats are docked in the Boblo Island Marina, located on the western shore of the island. [4], IBC declared bankruptcy in 1991. Did you work on both the SS Ste. [20] Oram then leased and shut down the White Sands boater's hangout adjacent to the park site, citing trespassers but infuriating boaters; as a result, the lease was dropped within weeks. The restaurant is open to residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday. Which may not be surprising, given that its been many thingscamp for European explorers, fortress, picnic spot, dance venue, amusement park, retreatto many people over the centuries beginning with four Algonquin and Iroquoian tribes:the Ojibwa (Chippewa), Ottawa, Potawatomi and the Wyandot (Huron)one source claims the original name of the island was Etiowiteedannenti, a name bestowed by the Wyandotand followed by: The first recorded passage to the island, which was named Bois Blanc (White Woods), by the French dates from 1670. 2,000. The Whip was installed in 1920, which was a huge hit, essentially paying for itself. BOBLO ISLAND - The echoes from the screams of delight have long faded from Boblo Island Amusement Park, the Cedar Point of Michigan for most kids growing up in our region. The biggest surprise during my visit to Bob-Lo came from a different sort of stranger than the type Id been envisioning when I was watching the girls swim in the river. Boblo was originally named Bois Blanc by the French, but residents couldn't pronounce the name. - Sally. - Brandon, I am 73 years old and remember my parents taking me to Bob-Lo after picking me up at Willow Run Airport after a visit with relatives in Miami FL when I was 8 years old. There were several trips from Detroit each day, but only two stops in Wyandotte. It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. Boblo closed for good in September 1993. I agree; it would be wonderful if the park could be restored or perhaps, reinvented to serve in a new way of bringing community together! Loved going to Bob-Lo as a kid. All Rights Reserved. The ferry is run for the island residents, their guests, and prospective buyers of lots in the Triamico Development Affiliates marina resort community. However, there is a public restaurant, the Bob-Lo Island Beach House, on the west side of the island by the marina (ferry docks at the east side). Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. If youre interested, check out Patrick Livingstons book Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island, published by Wayne State University Press in 2008. The park's coasters and rides were sold following its closing in 1993, but there are intriguing remnants. People from all over Michigan, Canada and from as far away as California, have chosen to make Boblo Island their home. Both vessels are bound for Boblo Island. It was on a small island in the Detroit River at the mouth of Lake Erie. It was one of the most popular places to dance in the 1920s. washington county, maine death records 0. why did boblo island close. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. Cedar Point, which has world-famous roller coasters and a wider range of attractions, is close enough to the Detroit area for a day trip (for the very hardy). [32], Boblo's Scootaboats, which were very similar to well known Bumper Cars, were a popular ride. The Sky Streak Ride, for example, was moved to Selva Magica, a theme park in Mexico, and the Nightmare was initially moved to Six Flags Houston where it was known as the Mayan Mindbender, only to be moved once again to a theme park in Amarillo, Texas. Baths. Barely visible remains of the park. This is the structure that once housed the Boblo Island Amusement Park bumper cars. Building the lighthouse on the island instead of the shoal presented several advantages: a shorter tower could be used due to the . Ive been talking to friends who also loved Boblo and I am going to do further study. [28] However, a local housing slump meant little was developed. [1] The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the Detroit River. It was a Canadian Island and had passenger boats that sailed from Detroit, Gibraltar and Amherstburg Ontario. He was 20 years older than me. BOBLO ISLAND AMUSEMENT PARK entertained people from both Canada and USA for 96 YEARS !