We also traveled. 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 also traveled from past to the present on the island, which was a must-visit destination for families for decades. Some of the most popular rides were "The Nightmare," "Sky Streak, "Screamer," and "Wild Mouse.". Boblo Island was very special. 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. On a summer day in 1945, Sarah Elizabeth Ray stood up for something because she wasn't allowed to sit down. During the 1920s and 1930s, swimming contests were held that went fromBelle Isleto Bob-Lo, covering 24 miles. So sad. Thank you again!! One of the oldest structures on the island was vandalized in 1954, with vandals setting fire to the top of the 1837 lighthouse, destroying the upper structure. [32] The dance hall was the second largest in the world, holding 5,000 dancers at full capacity[31] and featured one of the world's largest orchestrions from the Welte company: a 16 foot tall, 14 foot wide, self-playing Wotan-model orchestrion with 419 pipes and percussion section. You may have more than a few challenges now that people live there, but I wish you the best of luck! The island features many new homes and plenty of land to build on. A tennis court sits next to a home on the island. After the boats docked at night back in Detroit, Mr. Short continued entertaining at the local bars and taverns he frequented.[33]. - LJ. This is the structure that once housed the Boblo Island Amusement Park bumper cars. Bois Blanc Island, commonly called Boblo Island, is an island in the Detroit River on the Canadian side of the border and is part of Amherstburg Skip to content Menu We toured the Ste Claire in 2015 while restoration efforts were ongoing before fire gutted it on July 6, 2018. Though not all is lost. Over the years it grew into a unique island amusement park, with a midway and dozens of rides. We went alot and when my family''s jobs had company picnic it would always be Bob Lo. This historic boat carried passengers to and from Boblo Island, and amusement park located on the Detroit River. 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. Bob-Lo was such a fun place and figures so prominently in many peoples childhood summertime memories! All the passengers who had purchased round-trip tickets were comfortably aboardall, that is, but one. The island is mainly a place where people can live in serenity. [1] Other smaller ferries served the park from Amherstburg and Gibraltar, Michigan, which were located closer to the park on the Detroit River. . They are 1,405 square feet with a full basement. If all this talk of Edgewater Park has sent you into a nostalgic funk, never fear: the video below, posted All rights reserved (About Us). Boblo (or Bob-Lo) sparks memories for many adults who. I recently visited the island to see that the old Theatre still stands. Instead, the island and steamships were purchased by the Browning family. Photojournalist Seph Lawless has taken pictures of 10 abandoned theme parks around the US. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. 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. 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. 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. Or not. 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. 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. 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! This historic boat carried passengers to and from Boblo Island, and amusement park located on the Detroit River. A street sign shows people where they are as they arrive on the island. Why not this man who gave everyone joy in life with their families? It was just announced in The Windsor Star that the dance pavilion is now for sale. I wish that the people that bought this island could restore it. 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.. It's docked in New York. 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. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. While incapacitated in hospital, he lost legal control of island. Claire, built in 1910. (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". [26] KPMG found there was no money left to continue supplying basic services. You can also visit Boblo.ca. I agree, Jennifer, very sad. What a wonderful goal, Andrew! http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny. During the mid-19th century, the island was sold in parcels to several private owners who built cottages, stables, and trails. Can you go over to the island any time? Watch. The boat was taken to Toledo on Tuesday. Over four decades, later, on July 30, 2011, I spent an afternoon on Bob-Lo. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. Flags at the Amherstburg Dock. That is what the park was supposed to be about. I do hope that someone will come along and restore the park back to its prime, so we can get families and the community back together again, and we can share our memories with the generations to come. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. About Boblo Island Amusement Park: Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. The last screams of joy could be heard from the little island of fun 25 years ago as the Cedar Point of Michigan closed for the final time. Page 51", "Historic Boblo boats land role in Transformers 4", "Boblo Island boat owners hopeful for restoring of damaged boat: What's next for the SS Ste Claire? Clair and the SS Columbia. The last day of "Oldies Week" is today (at least for now), and the response from the Woody Boater community was fantastic. The place just went completely downhill. Unfortunately, my search came up empty. The abandoned amusement park was a p. My husband is on the Grosse Ile Historical Society BoardI have pictures of Sugar Island in its heyday. The non-French residents called it Boblo, and the name was officially accepted in 1949. How to get to Boblo Island: Families need to be brought back together and enjoy their children once again. If youre interested, check out Patrick Livingstons book Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island, published by Wayne State University Press in 2008. We need to preserve what we have left, just for historys sake. The amusement park was so famous in its day that Henry Ford himself provided money for a Dance Hall to be built, designed by the architect John Scott. Boater can also dock at the Boblo Wharf on the west side of the island, to eat at the Bob-Lo Island Beach House Restaurant. [19] He vaguely proposed a casino, hotel, and other development. Today the community on this island is known as the Marina Resort Community. I just would like to see whats there and for my family to share it with me. Claire or the Columbia, but no cellphone cameras documented that embarkation and carrying a Kodak Instamatic simply would not have been cool. Theme parks, like Lake Shawnee Park in West Virginia, closed down after guests died at the park. An estimated 30,000 people passed through the island on their way to freedom. I recently visited the island to see that the old Theatre still stands. The earliest historical reference, from 1718, describes 70 Native American families peacefully farming the fertile land. Hard to believe it was an big destination, it seems too small to support an amusement park. In the distance is a building featuring dozens of condos. Its entrance is at Vernon Boulevard and Main Street in Astoria. [2], The State of Michigan brought a racial discrimination case against the operators of the ferry service. And I stood and looked across the river, and what I remember is no longer there, and Im 54 years old . http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/05/23/grosse-iles-sugar-island-beach-opens-to-public-saturday/ (Sorry, you may need to copy and paste the website addresses above; my link feature is not successfully linking at the moment. Finally, A young entrepreneur who successfully turned around a floundering amusement park in suburban Seattle bought Bob-Lo hoping to turn it around. What a shame, all gone because some mega millionaires wanted more money. Our world today, especially with the pandemic, needs what we all once had back in this society. From Queens, you can get there via the Roosevelt Island Bridgethis is the only way to walk or drive onto the island. 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. Well I would say as a resident (who by the way is not a mega millionaire), that we dont mind having company on the island and share it with those who want to come out. 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. Following the war, British forces garrisoned at Fort Malden in Amherstburg, across the river from Bois Blanc, and strengthened their position by building three blockhouses on the island. Only one blockhouse remains today. These gleeful youngsters certainly seem amused on a ride at Eastwood, at the northeast corner of Eight Mile Road and . Many of you remember taking the journey to the top for a breathtaking view of the park. 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. Why did Boblo Island shut down? To get to Bob-Lo Islandin the 21st century, you takea ferry from Amherstburg, Ontario, instead of from the old dock on Jefferson Avenuein Detroit. The audio journey to Mars is etched in my brain! 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. [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 east side of the island is now home to residential property, marinas, a restaurant and more. It was in a time when the parents didn''t have to worry about the children. There are two total bedrooms in this home. A sign leads residents and visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island. Courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society, Photographer Joe Clark. Today it is overgrown: The Powerhouse, which looks like small limestone chapel, that provided electricityto the Carousel: The Dance Pavilion a 35,000 feet steel and limestone building designed by Albert Kahn and John Scott and completed in 1913. [1] Screamer, a double corkscrew; Nightmare, an indoor all-dark ride; and Sky Streak, a steel out-and-back design, were its three roller coasters. The people of Detroit, Michigan characterized it as that city's Coney Island. The men's entrance is to the left. My twin daughters, now 35, remember, but my son, 28, will never know. Well later that same summer (1972) I went with 2 of my brothers, one older and one younger with our Mother. - Bonnie, Oh! 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. Look at Sugar Island.it once was a special place. Opened in Orlando in 1976, River Country was Walt Disney's first waterpark. I learned this and most of what I know about the history of Bob-Lo Island from 1670 2006 in the book Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island by Patrick Livingston (published in 2008 by the Wayne State University Press in Detroit as a part of their Great Lakes Books series): How does Bob-Lo Island appear today, Saturday, July 30, 2011? The 1878 Mangels-Illions Carousels 44 horses, two goats, and two deer were sold for more than $1 million. By their very nature, amusement parks are places of fun, relaxation, excitement, and recreation. The steamers, the Ste. Two years later, very little had been done.[34]. It was awesome place. In the beginning it was a picnic spot with beaches, athletic fields, bicycle tracks, and a stunning Mangels-Illions carousel. Claire. The subdivision consists of a loop of a street containing a court within the loop. The ferry runs 365 days a year, departing every 20 minutes. "It's not the exact layout of Boblo Island," Kevin says in the documentary. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Its too bad they couldnt have it ready for this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary. The park was closed for the 1933-1934 seasons due to the Great Depression. 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. The British also built a lighthouse in 1836 which operated until 1959. - Mellissa M. Sources: BobloSteamers.com, Water Winter Wonderland. At about 34-square miles, the island is 12 miles long and six miles long. 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. British troops captured 60 of the attackers and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. Since 1989, Kevin has collected miniature amusement park rides, and built a loose replica of Boblo Island in his home. A retreat for the wealthy, amidst dilapidated remnants of history and ghosts of the past, with nature ever encroaching. Required fields are marked *. Only about a third of a milea 5 to 10-minute walk, depending on your speedfrom the ferry dock on the west side of the island, east on Bob-Lo Island Boulevard, to the marina on the other side of the narrow island. How to get to toronto island 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. A company called Premier Parks acquired the classic amusement park in 1995. We dont save anything for history any more. Bois Blanc Island (Ontario) Who owns Boblo Island? The first amusement park rides were moving by 1910. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. Neither will my grandchildren. 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). She was one of the first residents of Boblo Island. Exploring and discovering those remains is a thrill in its own right. We are restoring one of Detroit's most iconic steamships, the Ste. Even the words scrawled across its portal announced simply "Eastwood Park.". I grew up visiting the island and Im hoping to return to explore it again someday. Today, We take a look at the history and destiny of an iconic Detroit Metro Area former amusement park; Bob-Lo Island. Anyone . Built all the way back in 1898, the Boblo Island Amusement Park was a shining beacon of wholesome fun. (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). 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. [9] The loss of the Detroit ferry service dented attendance severely in the 1992 season, which along with poor weather caused the park to miss its attendance goal. Departing from the foot of Woodward Avenue, whereHart Plazais now, theColumbiaandSte. In the years leading up to its closure, many of the rides were sold to satisfy debts. The ship in mid-swing. The rides were sold to other amusement parks around the country. Though many of the amusement park structures have been torn down, you might still hear a passing. [15] Moodenbaugh had hired Liberal MPP Remo Mancini to help market the park. The ship, docked at Riverside Marina on the Detroit River, caught fire after 11 a.m. on . 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. They transformed the island into an amusement park, including a coaster, Ferris wheel, fun house and more. Its a shame that Boblo Island had to close. 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. The sociology of unemployment - Tom Boland 2015-07-01 The sociology of unemployment is an analysis of the experience and governance of unemployment. [10], With no buyers materializing, Norton Auctioneers of Coldwater, Michigan, was retained to sell the property at auction on February 10, 1993. Claire and the Columbia, as well as their Detroit docks, had been divested a few years earlier in 1991. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. The park closed in 1993 as a result of poor management and attendance was shrinking because of other parks like Cedar Point. Im glad you made this comment. The website is that of Bob-Lo Island Custom Home Builder, the developer of the Marina Resort Community, Boblos current rendition. In 1973, the Thunder Bolt coaster was built, which drew long lines. Many locals still have great memories riding the ferry to Boblo Island Amusement Park, which eventually. The living space of the Deerview twin villas. Yongma Land Abandoned Theme Park. My birthday is coming up, maybe my family can take me to the island. The island is a five-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario, and 18 miles from Detroit. More than a century later, in the 1920s, the amusement park opened on the sitethen closed in 1966 after the accidental deaths of two young patrons, including one on the spooky circular swing. 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). 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). Sue Cicala. 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. Very little remains, physically, of the amusement park attractions, but what we did find is fascinating, as you'll see in the link below. Both doors are were chain locked. Boblo Island was an amusement park that was open for nearly 100 years. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. The Ste. Boblo Island Amusement Park had its own custom version of bumper cars, known as Boblos Scootaboats. "Yeah, she's 110 years old, but she's well-built and she survived," said boat co-owner, Ron Kattoo. . He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. Boblo Island Amusement Park was a beloved amusement park that began operating in 1898 and ran for almost 100 years. 2y Shelly Premer Neault Still closed. [21][22], In late 1995, the site began to be marketed for residential development. Once built, the dance hall was the second largest in the world, able to accommodate no less than 5,000 dancers. He's been with WDIV since 2013. Presented in the name of the border cities of Detroit, Windsor, and Amherstburg. 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. A private community is now being built on the island. - Marva, I am 63 years old and I remember Bob-lo so well. The park has been closed since 1993, but the legend of Boblo is still strong. Gone are the roller coasters, but there are plenty of. The control room area through broken glass. 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. [29], The tower for the Space Needle ride was demolished in 2021, with Amicone citing "health and safety concerns". [4], IBC declared bankruptcy in 1991. Rides, music, thrills, and lights attracted thousands of visitors year after year. Such a sad and difficult ending to such a WONDERFUL PLACE. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. http://boblo.ca/. . I know the kids and people of this generation are definitely looking forward to more developments. 272 acres. The boat would stop there to take people to the island for the day. In fact didn''t go as much as I would of liked to. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. 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). ), Thank you so much for the great information. Story by Edward Pevos of MLive Once home to a popular amusement park from 1898 to 1993, Boblo Island in Ontario is now home to residential property, marinas, a restaurant and more. Millions of Americans and Canadians share memories of riding the Swan Boats or the train that circled the park. The park was closed for the 1933-1934 seasons due to the Great Depression. Many years later, the ferries were sold but the service was continued by a number of different, smaller boats. British troops captured 60 people and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. My most vivid memory is the Sky Diver ride. But there is new life on the island 23 years after the closing of the amusement park. One such an example is Boblo Island Amusement Park initially opened on Bois Blanc Island in Ontario in 1898. St. Clair Shores (1950-60s) & never went to the park. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. Kathi. Bring a bike or plan to hike as the only streets to accommodate cars are in the development. -Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park 1898-1993 Thanks . I can forward them to you if you would like. "For people who don't know, Boblo was an island amusement park that . 1898 and ran for almost 100 years its own right their Detroit docks, had been a. Also built a lighthouse in 1836 which operated until 1959 Great information what all... 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May have more than $ 1 million five-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg Ontario... Boats or the Columbia, but one of visitors year after year live there but. Has collected miniature amusement park initially opened on bois Blanc island ( Ontario ) who owns Boblo island, a! Transformed the island racial discrimination case against the operators of the Detroit.. Dining venues and the Columbia, as well as their Detroit docks, had been done [... Of bumper cars River, and trails need help with the pandemic, needs what all. Coney island taking the journey to Mars is etched in my brain Swan Boats the. Time when the parents didn '' t go as much as I would of liked.! 1,405 square feet with a midway and dozens of condos, she 's and. About 34-square miles, the island features many new homes and what life like... Would of liked to ferry to Boblo island in Ontario in 1898, the 23. Had back in 1898 and ran for almost 100 years more stories that and... 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