With probably more than a bit of clean-up and reconstruction, it would make a wonderful venue for a wedding reception!!! Boblo Island was very special. 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. 1937 Technically, it was known as Eastwood Amusement Park, but nearly everyone called it Eastwood Park, or just Eastwood. I grew up visiting the island and Im hoping to return to explore it again someday. This is actually only about half of the full-size basement which has been fitted with windows and electricity for add-on bedrooms. Is there a safe dock area, in which to leave our boat-(also Draft/depth) info .Is there a dock fee? Well later that same summer (1972) I went with 2 of my brothers, one older and one younger with our Mother. Clair and the SS Columbia. Rides, music, thrills, and lights attracted thousands of visitors year after year. St. Clair Shores (1950-60s) & never went to the park. The Whip was installed in 1920, which was a huge hit, essentially paying for itself. Boblo Boats: A Detroit Fairy Tale Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale YouTube Channel 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.. Places like fort custer, MI and fort sheridan, illinois, all sold to profiteers. I can still feel the sun and the wind as one of the great boats took us to the Island. From 1898 to 1993, the park was a summer staple for Detroit families. That was in 1993. 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. Over the years, the park began to decline and wane in popularity. 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. Or for the Lavatory building next to it, built to match the other stone buildings on the island. How to get to Boblo Island: BOBLO ISLAND AMUSEMENT PARK entertained people from both Canada and USA for 96 YEARS ! The park was closed for the 1933-1934 seasons due to the Great Depression. Since 1989, Kevin has collected miniature amusement park rides, and built a loose replica of Boblo Island in his home. One to pick up, and one to return people. A combined force of British and Native American soldiers in canoes surprised and overpowered an American vessel en route to Detroit. This is the structure that once housed the Boblo Island Amusement Park bumper cars. The abandoned amusement park was a p. The passageway still exists showing Gilbraltar, Michigan to the left and Amherstburg, Ontario to the right. It is sad, Cheryl. Anyone remember how much fun the dance floor was and how beautiful the boats were. A miniature railroad was built around the island in the 60s, along with a upgraded dock area. It broke my heart to see the way everything looks these days. Its a wonderful feeling strolling the island, standing next to buildings where 10s of thousands of souls now long departed use to frequent. We dont save anything for history any more. He wore a variety of colorful clothing, including a large hat with 'Captain Bob Lo' on the peak, and was typically equipped with binoculars for navigation purposes. This is now the only ferry which goes to and from Boblo Island. . The first thing I did when I got back home was to search for a Bob-Lo Historical Society on the Internet. It opened in 1898 as Boblo Island Amusement Park on Bois Blanc Island (not the Bois Blanc up near Mackinac Island, but the one on the Detroit River). [16] Moodenbaugh later sued Benaroya and others for attempting to sell the park while he lay in a "virtual coma". Which theme park has the most deaths? We live on the east shore of Grosse Ile, we would love to take our boat to eat at the restaurant. And then came the Boblo Island Amusement Park with its famous Screamer, Nightmare, and Wild Mouse rides, its zoo, and carousel. "It's not the exact layout of Boblo Island," Kevin says in the documentary. There are two total bedrooms in this home. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The 1878 Mangels-Illions Carousels 44 horses, two goats, and two deer were sold for more than $1 million. My husband is on the Grosse Ile Historical Society BoardI have pictures of Sugar Island in its heyday. We need to preserve what we have left, just for historys sake. - Kathy G. We kids were able to run up and down the stairs on the boat and go to the dance floor. Plants and overgrown grass fill the dirt paths near the Space Needle. . [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. You do it for other people. Particularly down at White Sands beach below the Lighthouse (http://www.flickr.com/photos/33535417@N05/4112593095/), where two boats were anchored during my visit to the south end of the island with a large group of partying young people. It is now an expensive, gated housing community with a private clubhouse. Really sad. [27] Dominic Amicone became the new owner in 2005. All the passengers who had purchased round-trip tickets were comfortably aboardall, that is, but one. One cant imagine a happy centennial celebration for this historic building . In fact didn''t go as much as I would of liked to. The control room area through broken glass. Along with homes, there are also property lots for sale in which people can build homes on. In June of 1999 Oram announced that he wished to recreate the amusement park on the mainland near Amherstburg, Ontario. 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. Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. . Before July 30, 2011, my last visit to Bob-Lo had been in June of 1968. 2023 Detroit Historical Society. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. A new film tells us. When I was riding my bike on a trail that runs through the middle of the island, I came upon a T-intersection buried amidst tall, tall grass, with the Carousel Building on my left and the Powerhouse on my right. - 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. Claire V can fit up to 16 vehicles as well as pedestrians and cyclists. As well as some great stories, it includes some good photographs from all of the islands incarnations! The British also built a lighthouse in 1836 which operated until 1959. When Ste. The Boblo boats took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit River to Boblo Island Amusement Park. 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. The people of Detroit, Michigan, characterized it as the city's Coney Island. [1] Other smaller ferries served the park from Amherstburg and Gibraltar, Michigan, which were located closer to the park on the Detroit River. 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. Claire or the Columbia, but no cellphone cameras documented that embarkation and carrying a Kodak Instamatic simply would not have been cool. When you disembark from the ferry, youfindyourself adjacent to a private very well-to-do residential area. Other islands Ivevisited have their own historical societies or have joined with other nearby islands to form a historical society: Johnson Island Preservation Society, Lake Erie Islands Historical Society, St. Clair Flats Historical Society, Beaver Island Historical Society, the Grosse Ile Historical Society, and Friends of Bell Isle (now a part ofthe newBelle Isle Conservancy). The ferry is a short four minute ride to the island. After the short ferry ride, residents simply drive right onto the island onto Boblo Island Blvd. 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. I worked on the Boats in 1980. Residents of the small community live among acres and acres of nature, just steps from water. Boblo Island today: The back of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford and built in 1913. People quit coming in the 1980s, then the money for upkeep is not there. 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. The amusement was a given. The island is a five-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario, and 18 miles from Detroit. . Boblo Island Amusement Park was an amusement park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. For many in this part of Michigan, this boat resides in fond memories of trips to Boblo Island. [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. It is slated to include a luxury hotel, international shops & restaurants, a 107-berth boat dock, and a pier large enough to accommodate lake cruise ships along with The S.S. . I was born and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan. OBSCURIST TOURIST 025 - Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. The ride takes about 5 or 10 minutes, instead of the hour it used to take . This amusement park, while once the delight of both kids and adults until the early 90s, has been abandoned for more than two decades. Once known as Bois Blanc Island, Boblo lies on the Detroit River on the Canadian side. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. People should not be making assumptions about the island residents. On a summer day in 1945, Sarah Elizabeth Ray stood up for something because she wasn't allowed to sit down. People from all over Michigan, Canada and from as far away as California, have chosen to make Boblo Island their home. Hard to believe it was an big destination, it seems too small to support an amusement park. To rebuild would be one of lifes pleasures. It runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at a fee of $10 each way. Once a landmark amusement park, Boblo Island is ready to essentially triple its current population through a new. Can you go over to the island any time? 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. The kitchen and dining space of the tri-plex. For visitors based in Detroit, it was about 30 kilometers away and could be reached by ferry. [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. Over the years it grew into a unique island amusement park, with a midway and dozens of rides. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. saki, Japan. One such an example is Boblo Island Amusement Park initially opened on Bois Blanc Island in Ontario in 1898. You can take a tour of the model homes on Boblo Island on Saturdays and Sundays with an island specialist by calling 519-736-1111. 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 Browning Family sold the island in 1979, which led to several owners in the following years, including IBC and AAA of Michigan. I would make sure my friends knew all the history of Bob-Lo. 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. Anyone . Bois Blanc is known regionally as the former home of the Boblo Island Amusement Park, which began operation in 1898 and closed on September 30, 1993. Many locals still have great memories riding the ferry to Boblo Island Amusement Park, which eventually. -Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park 1898-1993 Thanks . The dock is gone and the passageway is mostly surrounded by weeds and overgrown grass. This house is 2,040 square feet with a full basement. [1] The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the Detroit River. After 85 years of operation, these two sister steamships - the oldest in America - awaken from a deep slumber to find a devoted team of enthusiasts have set out to rescue them from their deteriorating state. It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. [1] The "Bob-Lo boats" boats were sold in November 1991. They operated a Rotor in West Germany at Oktoberfest in 1949. The ruins of what remains can be seen via the waterway that separates both Michigan and Ontario, but for many, the memories of this once-bustling park are what truly keep it alive. The place is oozing history. The Beach House Goodie Shack offers apparel, gifts, and home decor for residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday. I agree, Jennifer, very sad. Pinterest. Anyone can go on the island via the ferry for a fee of $10 round-trip, but Boblo isn't a typical tourist destination. It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River and was commonly referred to as Detroit's Coney Island. Bring a bike or plan to hike as the only streets to accommodate cars are in the development. On the south side of the road leading from the ferry dock is a five-story condominium: Between the river and the condominium is a trail which heads south along the islands perimeter and allows a walker orbicyclist to view a number of historical structures, including the Sailors Monument, which still graces the eastern shore of the island: The commemorative plaque affixed to the Sailors Monument reads: Dedicated to 134 years of American-Canadian friendship across 4500 miles of unfortified border, protected only by the mutual respect and understanding one nation holds for the other. It was finally decided in 1949 to officially re-name the island and the park Bob-Lo, in a matter of simplification (today it is still referred to by both names on maps of the area). We toured the Ste Claire in 2015 while restoration efforts were ongoing before fire gutted it on July 6, 2018. Plus it was a place where the 400-pipe, 4-meter high, self-playing orchestra was housed. Everyone has a memory to tell. Yongma Land Abandoned Theme Park. Each year the largest gathering was sponsored by the St. Andrews Society of Detroit, which would often draw more than 10,000 visitors to their Scottish Games. 2y Guy Adelini One of my favorite rides! [25], American investors were scared away after the September 11 attacks, which hurt the financial outlook for the development. 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. 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. See more ideas about island, amusement park, boblo boat. The men's entrance is to the left. Such a sad and difficult ending to such a WONDERFUL PLACE. In the distance is a building featuring dozens of condos. Many of you remember taking the journey to the top for a breathtaking view of the park. The Boblo Island amusement park closed in the 1990s after a century of operation. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. The ferry runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Only a few buildings and the sky tower structure still stand. We also traveled. Thank you again for the information. Very little remains, physically, of the amusement park attractions, but what we did find is fascinating, as you'll see in the link below. We are restoring one of Detroit's most iconic steamships, the Ste. In the years leading up to its closure, many of the rides were sold to satisfy debts. . I am only 12. Plant life around the old Space Needle observation tower. There are just two ways in and out of the island. The juvenile coyote was gone in another blink of the eye. I recently visited the island to see that the old Theatre still stands. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. [21][22], In late 1995, the site began to be marketed for residential development. Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company, From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina. The ship in mid-swing. 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. 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). Gone are the roller coasters, but there are plenty of. 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. [30], The Falling Star, log flume, Enterprise, Sky Tower (Space Needle), Ferris wheel, a zoo, and a carousel were the signature attractions. Neither will my grandchildren. This is the inside of the 1,250 square foot tri-plex home. [15] Moodenbaugh had hired Liberal MPP Remo Mancini to help market the park. 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. By 1998, Premier Parks purchased Six Flags and adopted the Six Flags name for its company and a year later, it changed Geauga Lake's name to Six Flags Ohio in 1999. Some of the most popular rides were "The Nightmare," "Sky Streak, "Screamer," and "Wild Mouse.". I am so sad every time I think about Bob Lo. Bois Blanc Island (Ontario) Who owns Boblo Island? The SS Ste. Claireoffered their own form of entertainment. The plan is to restructure the whole island and populate it with luxurious houses. And others for attempting to sell the park was an big destination, it seems small... A miniature railroad was built around the old Space Needle observation tower,! The money for upkeep is not there see the way everything looks these days like... That he wished to recreate the amusement park closed in the distance a. In the 60s, along with homes, there are also property lots for sale in to. 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