About Boblo Island: 2023 Detroit Historical Society. The control room area through broken glass. The last day of "Oldies Week" is today (at least for now), and the response from the Woody Boater community was fantastic. Without Michael's approval the park was closed, the rides sold off, dismantled and shipped away. You support the mega millionaires who dont care about anything else in life except their bank accounts. There were several trips from Detroit each day, but only two stops in Wyandotte. However, due to lack of demand, the park closed in 2001 and never reopened. Embark on a CRUISE FROM DETROIT for the first time in decades, Stay the night at this ghostly-looking MICHIGAN CASTLE, SECRET VINTAGE COKE MUSEUM inside a Michigan 50's diner. On June 21, 1945, the steamer Columbia blew its whistle and left the Detroit dock to make the eighteen-mile trip to the Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park. The kitchen and dining space of the tri-plex. Hoffmeister and Friese had an agreement that established . 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. Since 1989, Kevin has collected miniature amusement park rides, and built a loose replica of Boblo Island in his home. The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. - LJ. Peering through the broken glass, one can see water covering portions of the floor. Here are some we found on various blogs and forums: I was one of the last generations of people who were able to enjoy Bob-Lo island amusement park. If I had mega-millions I would invest in restoration of the island and the amusement park. Some recent activity indicates this one might be saved. 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). Not only do those who went before the park shut down in 1993 still remember it fondly; they're eager to regale you . Once a landmark amusement park, Boblo Island is ready to essentially triple its current population through a new. Interestingly, the islands history starts long before the amusement park was even planned. . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this site. This is the structure that once housed the Boblo Island Amusement Park bumper cars. Such a sad and difficult ending to such a WONDERFUL PLACE. When you disembark from the ferry, youfindyourself adjacent to a private very well-to-do residential area. - 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. How to get to Boblo Island: I dont think it is sad at all! Its too bad they couldnt have it ready for this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Claire or the Columbia, but no cellphone cameras documented that embarkation and carrying a Kodak Instamatic simply would not have been cool. The park's coasters and rides were sold following its closing in 1993, but there are intriguing remnants. The ferry runs 365 days a year, departing every 20 minutes. The people of Detroit, Michigan characterized it as that city's Coney Island. The price is around $500k. One of those blockhouses remains, and is open for touring. Presented in the name of the border cities of Detroit, Windsor, and Amherstburg. 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. One of the many residential homes on the north end of Boblo Island, Ontario, seen Wednesday, July 27, 2016. $19 million in debt, John's brother Randy forced Boblo Island into court-appointed receivership in 2004. After coming aboard, visitors could look down from the main deck into the engine room, where powerful shafts and cams slowly warmed up. In 1898, the Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company opened up a recreation park on the Detroit River, about 18 miles southwest of Windsor. The park opened in 1898 and closed its doors for good on September 30th,1993 as a result of poor management, rising maintenance costs and declining attendance thanks to more attractive parks in the region like Cedar Point. The island was situated between Detroit and Canada, but for a Michigander to visit, you had to cross the Canadian border.usually by one of the Boblo ferry boats. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. The homes come with all appliances. Boblo Island Amusement Park was an amusement park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. This thrilling park closed its doors for good in 1981, but not before providing visitors with decades of fun. I wouldnt identify the owners in this suburban retreat as millionaires, but the island has been many things to many people over the centuries: the Ojibwe, the Ottawa, the Potawatomi, and the Wyandot all used the island before it was christened Bois Blanc. Later it was: a camp for European explorers, the site of a French Catholic mission, within reach of a British fort, headquarters for the Shawnee chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812, an invasion site for Canadian patriots during the Upper Canada Rebellion, and more recently, a picnic spot and a dance venue, all before the rise and decline of the amusement park. The men's entrance is to the left. We are restoring one of Detroit's most iconic steamships, the Ste. I loved going there as it was much smaller than Cedar Point so riding the rides didnt take so long. During the 1920s and 1930s, swimming contests were held that went fromBelle Isleto Bob-Lo, covering 24 miles. The little that remains of the park is covered with vegetation or has been demolished. There appears to be no such organization, which may not be so surprising. With a blast of the big steam whistle, lines were cast off, and the 20-mile voyage began, taking about 80 minutes. 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 looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers Claire and the SS Columbia offered ferry services to all those wishing to travel to Boblo Island. People should not be making assumptions about the island residents. [3] The company had claimed it could exclude her because it was a private concern operating in another country and that neither Michigan nor any other state had authority to regulate commerce with Canada (a foreign country); the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Michigan Supreme Court, which had upheld the jurisdiction of the state's anti-discrimination provisions and found against the company. Not fair to blame millionaires when often it is a corporation that can run out money after 5 or 6 bad years. Windsor Mayor Arthur John Reaume wanted the island to be designated a National Park. 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. We went alot and when my family''s jobs had company picnic it would always be Bob Lo. How to live on Boblo Island: Check out recent photos from one of the Boblo boats. It is a wonderful place with beautiful heritage and history, that is why I chose to live here. Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. 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. The goal of developers is to someday populate the entire island with neighborhoods. 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. The north side of Boblo is a growing private community, with numerous homes and condominiums. You can also visit Boblo.ca. Claireoffered their own form of entertainment. You can visit the island now, as I did in July of 2011 (all the photos accompanying the blog posting above were taken on that visit), by taking a small car ferry across a narrow strip of the Detroit River from the Bob-Lo Discovery Centre in Amherstburg, Ontario. This is private property and the doors are chain locked. The place is oozing history. Two years later, very little had been done.[34]. Private cottages and government property remained at the north and south ends of the island. [23] Townhouses and condominiums were proposed in 1997. Big changes for Sugar Island, good changes-it has made the drinking & partying boating groups unable to overtake the island.It was not safe. . The dance pavilion built in 1913 was the largest in North America until 1925. Boblo Island Amusement Park ran from 1898 to 1993. 90-year old Captain Bob-Lo greets passengers - 1970s. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. 2y Julie Enmei Bondy On a summer day in 1945, Sarah Elizabeth Ray stood up for something because she wasn't allowed to sit down. Twin villa homes on the north end of the island. This is the living space inside one of the single family homes. He had hoped to build a bridge to Bob-Lo to eliminate the inconvenience of the boat rides, but he did not realize (or appreciate) that Bob-Lo Island was across an international border from Michigan. The rides were sold to other amusement parks around the country. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Mike! But there is new life on the island 23 years after the closing of the amusement park. [26] KPMG found there was no money left to continue supplying basic services. [29], The tower for the Space Needle ride was demolished in 2021, with Amicone citing "health and safety concerns". Part of the old water fountain is still there and you can see the Space Needle in the distance. Ray was there to celebrate her graduation from secretarial school with her classmates. After 1796, British interests controlled the island and it was the staging point for the first local action in the War of 1812. The Bobl-Lo Island of today? British troops captured 60 of the attackers and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. One to pick up, and one to return people. The place just went completely downhill. A parking stub from Boblo Island, 1988 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. 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. There is a dock at the restaurant on the island, Sue. One of these survived to become a souvenir stand for the amusement park. Can you go over to the island any time? Two twin villa homes on the north end of the island. The Boblo Island boat, S.S. Ste Claire, was destroyed on Friday morning after a massive fire on the ship. Quite disappointing that we never went back, management was doing a terrible job. I believe the unfortunate combination of being a Canadian island with almost all American history is the reason its not being cherished by people in Canada. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. What a shame, all gone because some mega millionaires wanted more money. The dock is gone and the passageway is mostly surrounded by weeds and overgrown grass. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The subdivision consists of a loop of a street containing a court within the loop. Boats are docked in the Boblo Island Marina, located on the western shore of the island. . My twin daughters, now 35, remember, but my son, 28, will never know. Anyone can go on the island via the ferry for a fee of $10 round-trip, but Boblo isn't a typical tourist destination. Most of the homes on the island also come with a large amount of property. DETROITAny Michigander of a certain vintage won't forget their giddiness en route to Boblo Island amusement park, a carefree ferry ride from Detroit's metropolis to a land that seemed a world away. As a child I went to Bob-Lo Island every summer from the Detroit Side of the island. She was one of the first residents of Boblo Island. Since the amusement park's closure, Boblo Island has been renovated for luxury homes. The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans owns the deteriorating dock, which once served as a gateway for ferry passengers heading to the former Boblo Island amusement park. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. The only access was via one of two ferries from Detroit or Amherstburg, the SS Ste. Your email address will not be published. [17], In March 1994, the rides were dismantled and sold off piecemeal to the Pacific National Exhibition and a series of U.S. theme parks, a moment that confirmed the "worst fears" of Malden Township officials; the amusement park paid 25 percent of its taxes. Many of the other rides are still entertaining guests at parks in Texas, Maryland, British Columbia, and Mexico. The Beach House Goodie Shack offers apparel, gifts, and home decor for residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday. Bring a bike or plan to hike as the only streets to accommodate cars are in the development. Boblo Boats: A Detroit Fairy Tale Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale YouTube Channel 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. In the years leading up to its closure, many of the rides were sold to satisfy debts. A tennis court sits next to a home on the island. You can just picture all of the kids having fun smashing into each other in their cars. Bois Blanc Island, former site of the Bob-Lo Island amusement park, is located at southern endof the DetroitRiver before it enters Lake Erie,and is about one-half mile wide and three miles long. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide - just 272 acres. But, when I get enough money, I am going to restore it to the original and open it back up. 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. Though many of the amusement park structures have been torn down, you might still hear a passing. 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). Pinterest. (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/17/historic-boblo-island-blo_n_1098807.html, http://www.flickr.com/photos/33535417@N05/4112593095/, http://www.boblo.ca/pages/living/restaurant.html, https://www.facebook.com/BobloIslandMarina, http://www.rivertowntimes.com/?s=Captain+bobs&submit, http://www.freep.com/article/20140706/NEWS05/307060053/boblo-island-memories-boat-development, http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/05/23/grosse-iles-sugar-island-beach-opens-to-public-saturday/, Boblo Island Beach House Restaurant Houzz Home, Slaves (traveling the Underground Railroad), The south blockhouse, built in 1838 (Update: See. http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. 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. To get to Bob-Lo Island in the 21st century, you take a ferry from Amherstburg, Ontario, instead of from the old dock on Jefferson Avenue in Detroit. Claire and the SS Columbia? People from all over Michigan, Canada and from as far away as California, have chosen to make Boblo Island their home. Over the years, the park began to decline and wane in popularity. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. Getting to the dock in Detroit early in the morning, the anticipation of boarding the boat, the ride on the river, the views, the fact I could play an arcade game on a boat blew my small mind. It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. It was awesome place. Part of the experience was the long boat ride to the island. 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. 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