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From the top deck of the SS St. Claire, passengers watch the SS Columbia (built in 1902). The Boblo Island amusement park closed in the 1990s after a century of operation. People quit coming in the 1980s, then the money for upkeep is not there. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. Given that the island was known as the Boblo Island Amusement Park from 1898 1993, Id say, overall, it was a pretty successful run. The subdivision consists of a loop of a street containing a court within the loop. airbnb sarasota downtown; payday 2 infinite equipment mod; conduct unbecoming a police officer examples; randomforestclassifier' object has no attribute estimators_ These people had no clue whatsoever as to the history of Detroit, or of Bob-Lo. Boblo Island was an amusement park that was at one time larger than Cedar Point. My birthday is coming up, maybe my family can take me to the island. Two years later, very little had been done.[34]. It runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at a fee of $10 each way. [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. DETROIT Say the name "Boblo" to anyone who grew up around Michigan, and their eyes will light up. The juvenile coyote was gone in another blink of the eye. Larry Benaroya, his associate, and his Northern Capital took control of the property; Mancini was fired, and the ownership group put it back on the market in January 1994. Without Michael's approval the park was closed, the rides sold off, dismantled and shipped away. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. These are the remains of some of the washrooms. For more than a century, Bob-Lo Island had belonged to Ontario Province. 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. It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. He was 20 years older than me. It was a Canadian Island and had passenger boats that sailed from Detroit, Gibraltar and Amherstburg Ontario. In this respect, today, Bob-Lo Island appears a bead broken off from the strand, adrift in more than just the Detroi River, its historic integrity drowned in the current of a sequence of ill-fated development schemes. Each boat could hold about 2,500 passengers. My husband is on the Grosse Ile Historical Society BoardI have pictures of Sugar Island in its heyday. Having trotted out into the intersection, clearly not expecting anyone to be on the trail, the animal froze and then turned and shot back up the path, between thetall vegetation on each side, its hind legs trying to gain purchase on the crushed limestone. More waterfront dining. Huntington. There are just two ways in and out of the island. You can still see the words "Boblo Island" on the Space Needle, 25 years after the park's closing. why did boblo island close. 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. [Meta] Sticky Comment. In 1993, after nearly 100 years in the business of entertainment, it was decided that the park was to be closed. In 1991, those boats were sold and smaller ferries took people from Gibraltar, Mich., to the island, as well as Amherstburg. Bois Blanc Island, Pointe Aux Pins, MI 49775 +1 231-634-7100 + Add website + Add hours. The rides were sold in 1994, but as we discovered via YouTube, a number of the park's structures still stand on the island. - Mellissa M. Sources: BobloSteamers.com, Water Winter Wonderland. This is private property and the doors are chain locked. the building is not secure, given that one-quarter of a large window in the front is broken in, metal strips hanging from its frame. [5] The boats were sold off as a result of a decision to shutter operations at the Detroit dock. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. Ray was removed from the boat because she was not white, enforced according to a Bob-Lo company policy "excluding so-called 'zoot-suiters', the rowdyish, the rough, and the boisterous, and it also adopted the policy of excluding colored. Plant life around the old Space Needle observation tower. A powerhouse that supplied electricity to the nearby Carousel which is no longer there. When was the last time yousailed down the Detroit River toBob-Lo Island, to summertime? [18], In 1994, John Oram, an Iraqi immigrant to the United States who owned car stereo businesses, purchased the Boblo Island site. Everyone has a memory to tell. 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). You do it for other people. A street sign shows people where they are as they arrive on the island. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. The Boblo boats took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit River to Boblo Island Amusement Park. I would bring back the lost souls and add life to the island again. The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide - just 272 acres. In the years leading up to its closure, many of the rides were sold to satisfy debts. The men's entrance is to the left. You'd be hard-pressed to find much evidence of those rides now. What Occupation Did The Boblo Boat Workers Have? One of the many residential homes on the north end of Boblo Island, Ontario, seen Wednesday, July 27, 2016. The ferrys were known as "Bob-Lo Boats" and held about 2,500 passengers each. Quite disappointing that we never went back, management was doing a terrible job. A combined force of British and Native American soldiers in canoes surprised and overpowered an American vessel en route to Detroit. Instead, the island and steamships were purchased by the Browning family. The company was busy during the week, moving people and goods up and down the river. Its a shame that Boblo Island had to close. 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. We also traveled from past to the present on the island, which was a must-visit destination for families for decades. (LogOut/ 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. A miniature railroad was built around the island in the 60s, along with a upgraded dock area. So when we went to the Island, we took a cab to the downtown docks to catch the first boat out and then we would return on the last boat. I was born and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan. The ship in mid-swing. . What did you do? 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). 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. Restoration of the Ste Claire had been going on for a few years. With probably more than a bit of clean-up and reconstruction, it would make a wonderful venue for a wedding reception!!! . The island is a five-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario, and 18 miles from Detroit. For those who lived it firsthand, though, Boblo Island was an accessible and affordable paradise right in Detroit's backyard. I can still feel the sun and the wind as one of the great boats took us to the Island. The place is oozing history. The ferry runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Mon-Wed 8:30 - 7:00 Thu-Fri 8:30 - 7:00 Sat 8:30 . Although the name will seem new to most of us, it's actually the original historic name of the island that was home to the historic . They transformed the island into an amusement park, including a coaster, Ferris wheel, fun house and more. This is the remnants of an old putt-putt golf course. The Columbia is undergoing restoration. If youre interested, check out Patrick Livingstons book Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island, published by Wayne State University Press in 2008. Big changes for Sugar Island, good changes-it has made the drinking & partying boating groups unable to overtake the island.It was not safe. By their very nature, amusement parks are places of fun, relaxation, excitement, and recreation. Ive been talking to friends who also loved Boblo and I am going to do further study. The best time was 8 hours and 42 minutes turned in by 17-year old Dorothy de Caussin and 15-year old Ida Mutnick, both of Detroit. What's with those GIANT PIE PANS in Traverse City & Charlevoix? The Detroit river is very short - it merely connects Lake Huron with Lake Erie. Bois Blanc has been part of Canada since 1787. Ive always wondered about the island and have wanted to go back. ), Thank you so much for the great information. [4], IBC declared bankruptcy in 1991. The Boblo boat took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit river to Boblo Island Amusement Park. After 1796, British interests controlled the island and it was the staging point for the first local action in the War of 1812. [19] He vaguely proposed a casino, hotel, and other development. You can also visit Boblo.ca. The website is that of Bob-Lo Island Custom Home Builder, the developer of the Marina Resort Community, Boblos current rendition. With a blast of the big steam whistle, lines were cast off, and the 20-mile voyage began, taking about 80 minutes. It was great to see all the vintage photos and stories from the good old days of classic boating when wooden boats were the norm, not the exception. 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. Series: DOCUMERICA: The Environmental Protection Agency's Program to Photographically Document Subjects of Environmental Concern, 1972 - 1977, via National Archives and Records Administration, Photo: Courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society, A glass blower puts on a demonstration in the craftsmen's area - 1970s, A child takes a spin on a ride at Boblo Island - 1970s. Beginning in 1952, Joe Short, a man of diminutive physical stature, was employed as 'Captain Boblo', and traveled on the boats entertaining passengers of all ages. St. Clair Shores (1950-60s) & never went to the park. One island. You support the mega millionaires who dont care about anything else in life except their bank accounts. It may be under different management than when I had a pretty tasty perch sandwich there, but you can find out more, including their hours at: http://www.boblo.ca/pages/living/restaurant.html, Thank you very much for info. Baths. Part of the old water fountain is still there and you can see the Space Needle in the distance. And then came the Boblo Island Amusement Park with its famous Screamer, Nightmare, and Wild Mouse rides, its zoo, and carousel. Boblo Island looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers Claire and the Columbia, as well as their Detroit docks, had been divested a few years earlier in 1991. The dance pavilion built in 1913 was the largest in North America until 1925. (LogOut/ After the short ferry ride, residents simply drive right onto the island onto Boblo Island Blvd. View TODAY's New Listings by beds, baths, lot size, listing status, days on market, & more! - LJ. Detroit Publishing Co via the Library of Congress, This appears to be the SS Columbia Boblo Boat, which was built in 1902, Ferry dock on Boblo Island - between 1890 and 1901. . Save. Locate and compare Service d'ambulance in Mersea ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. I found this very useful for Information! 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. It is the remnant of a place where river boats took passengers to an amusement park on a Canadian island just to the south western end of the Detroit River. Poison ivy now grows in the ring of mature trees in front of the Lavatory building, where I imagine the men in hatsretiring for a smoke while they await their dates inflapper attireto emerge from The Ladies Room.. The railroad began operating on the island in 1956. [15] Moodenbaugh had hired Liberal MPP Remo Mancini to help market the park. It is sad, Cheryl. Hard to believe it was an big destination, it seems too small to support an amusement park. She was one of the first residents of Boblo Island. mopar 727 transmission casting numbers. Only one blockhouse remains today. So sad. Second case of COVID-19 confirmed in Windsor-Essex City of Windsor declares state of emergency, Devonshire and Tecumseh malls to close Boblo Island residential development plan moving forward. The Boblo Island Detroit dock building can be seen on the Detroit, Michigan side of the Detroit River. The homes come with all appliances. . The ship, docked at Riverside Marina on the Detroit River, caught fire after 11 a.m. on. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The restaurant just opened for the season on the 24th, this past Friday. Abandoned Boblo Island Amusement Park is a former amusement park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. An estimated 30,000 people passed through the island on their way to freedom. In the ride's final incarnation, the train itself was a scale recreation of Central Pacific Railroad's 19 th century C.P. Kathi. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Posted . The place just went completely downhill. I was 7 years old when the ferries stopped running in 1991. Of more concern than strangers arriving by ferry would be the boats that pull up and anchor around the island on summer days. Captain Bob's Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin is located on the western shore of Boblo Island, and is open for residents and visitors from Thursday through Sunday. The bike rental shop was closed, but you can check your weight for free. There appears to be no such organization, which may not be so surprising. (From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina), BOBLO BOAT TOUR: Take a video tour of the historic boat that traveled the Detroit River for 81 years. [16] Moodenbaugh later sued Benaroya and others for attempting to sell the park while he lay in a "virtual coma". British troops captured 60 people and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. Boblo's miniature railroad was perfect for those interested in something more leisurely than the island's rollercoaster. By golf cart or bike or on foot are the only ways to navigate the crushed limestone trails that cover the remainder of the island,but for the residential area (the only place where cars are allowed). It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. This is what the more than 100-year old steamer looked like a few years ago. He previously worked for Ringling Brothers Circus and captivated children with adventurous tales and knock-knock jokes until his retirement in 1974, at the age of 90. 90-year old Captain Bob-Lo greets passengers - 1970s. The middle section of the island was developed as a park. The only other way to get to the island is to dock a private boat. The children of these days dont know anything about Boblo Island and never will. 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. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. As well as some great stories, it includes some good photographs from all of the islands incarnations! It was awesome place. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. 6 reviews #1 of 2 Restaurants in Pointe Aux Pins American Pub. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. The 18-mile boat ride was carried out by the famous ships: the Columbia, built in 1902, and the Ste. 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. I agree. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Well later that same summer (1972) I went with 2 of my brothers, one older and one younger with our Mother. Soon after this, the British obtained the surrender of the American fort in Detroit without a shot being fired. Between my concerns for the submerged rocks of the river and the mortar of history I was climbing over, I thought, what a wonderful place this island would be to explore if you were a kid or teenager and what a nightmare it poses for parents or grandparents of those explorers! http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny. One such an example is Boblo Island Amusement Park initially opened on Bois Blanc Island in Ontario in 1898. His legacy died when the company came in and took over the park. Claire provided . If the boat looks familiar, it is not your imagination. Plus it was a place where the 400-pipe, 4-meter high, self-playing orchestra was housed. On the far side of the ride, people wait in line. I dont think it is sad at all! "[2] The Michigan Supreme Court fined the company $25 for the discrimination they presented towards Ray. [1] The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the Detroit River. Boblo Island is accessible by a 16-car ferry that departs from the dock next to the Bob-Lo Island Discovery Centre, which is at 340 Dalhousie St., Amherstburg, ON. Can you go over to the island any time? Before I rode on it on the Island I had gone to a local fair and 3 other girls and I rode together on it and we laughed and really enjoyed it. Its very sad because growing up that was all everyone talked about was Boblo Island, and all the amazing memories. Bois Blanc Island was where Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, a Native American warrior, decided to place his headquarters during the War of 1812. An incident in 1902 caused a man-made mini earthquake on the island. 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. Over four decades, later, on July 30, 2011, I spent an afternoon on Bob-Lo. [2] YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Bob-Lo Excursion Company and the 50 years of Canadian-American use of Bob-Lo Island as an International recreation area. Really sad. The last summer that Bob-Lo operated as an amusement park was almost two decades ago: 1993. These steamers could carry more than 2,000 passengers from Detroit to the island. It's a place for those looking to surround themselves with nature, including the more than 50 different species of birds. 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). The Carousel Building, built in 1905 to house the first amusement ride on Bob-Lo Island, served as a convention hall and later, the roller-skating rink (beginning with the 1940 season) before ending up as a theater. "We are at the point in restoration to where it was a steel skeleton structure ready to be rebuilt." why did boblo island closeconservation international ceo. Families need to be brought back together and enjoy their children once again. 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. A lamp posts once used to illuminate the amusement park at night. For the people who bought property thereyou bought land that was so important to the neighboring cities and had brought so many families together. If it wasnt for him to have done that for everyone, our world would never have known how peaceful, relaxing, fun, and most of all memorable a park could be. One cant imagine a happy centennial celebration for this historic building . People from all over Michigan, Canada and from as far away as California, have chosen to make Boblo Island their home. The park, which. The company had just been sold to a group from Texas who ran a small park. What I remember about Bob-Lo Island specifically, the entrance coming off of the boat, one of the last times I went the Simpsons were the mascots and I met Bart and Homer. Yes, Kathy, the Bob-Lo Island Beach House Restaurant is an easy walk. Boblo (or Bob-Lo) sparks memories for many adults who. This is the view now from the end of the tunnel. The native Wyandot called the island "Etiowiteendannenti.Both the Wyandot and French names refer to the white wood appearance lent by the birch and poplar trees that line the banks. Claireoffered their own form of entertainment. This photo shows people boarding the SS St. Claire (built in 1910) bound for Boblo Island. In its early years, [1] Henry Ford financed a dance hall that was rumored to have been designed and built by famed Detroit architect Albert Kahn,[31] but was later determined to have been designed by John Scott. Claire and the SS Columbia? Competition came in, e.g., Sea World. I just would like to see whats there and for my family to share it with me. Bois Blanc Island, French for White Woods Island, was named on account of its numerous white-barked birch and beech trees, and is today commonly known as Boblo Island, an English corruption of the original name. - Bonnie, Oh! Over the years, the park began to decline and wane in popularity. That is what the park was supposed to be about. The people of Detroit, Michigan, characterized it as the city's Coney Island. [30], The Falling Star, log flume, Enterprise, Sky Tower (Space Needle), Ferris wheel, a zoo, and a carousel were the signature attractions. Hard to believe, but for the first time in 124 years, there is no such place as Boblo Island. why did boblo island close. $19 million in debt, John's brother Randy forced Boblo Island into court-appointed receivership in 2004. Interestingly, the islands history starts long before the amusement park was even planned. The park was sold but never got up and running again so all the rides and boats were sold. Most of the homes on the island also come with a large amount of property. People can dock their private boats there, or take a four-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario. On that visit, the very air between the Wild Mouse and the Whip was fraught with hormones dancing to a Top Ten soundtrack which included Sitting on the Dock of the Bay and Grazing in the Grass.. Unfortunately, my search came up empty. Bleacher seating remains intact in the abandoned theater. If anyone has Meade Gougeon's cell number, seriously, call him. The only access was via one of two ferries from Detroit or Amherstburg, the SS Ste. These steamers are the oldest passenger steamers in the United States of America, currently anchored at the Great Lakes Steel Dock in Ecorse, Michigan.

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