After the short ferry ride, residents simply drive right onto the island onto Boblo Island Blvd. In 1991, those boats were sold and smaller ferries took people from Gibraltar, Mich., to the island, as well as Amherstburg. The website is that of Bob-Lo Island Custom Home Builder, the developer of the Marina Resort Community, Boblos current rendition. People can dock their private boats there, or take a four-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario. The Columbia is undergoing restoration. Potentially, it could become a wedding reception hall or hotel. Its a wonderful feeling strolling the island, standing next to buildings where 10s of thousands of souls now long departed use to frequent. Barely visible remains of the park. One island. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. The people of Detroit, Michigan, characterized it as the city's Coney Island. The Boblo Island boat, S.S. Ste Claire, was destroyed on Friday morning after a massive fire on the ship. The park has been closed since 1993, but the legend of Boblo is still strong. It broke my heart to see the way everything looks these days. All Rights Reserved. [28] However, a local housing slump meant little was developed. 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. Kathleen Saylors. Boblo (or Bob-Lo) sparks memories for many adults who. 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 The first amusement park rides were moving by 1910. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. With probably more than a bit of clean-up and reconstruction, it would make a wonderful venue for a wedding reception!!! Or not. When was the last time yousailed down the Detroit River toBob-Lo Island, to summertime? For the people who bought property thereyou bought land that was so important to the neighboring cities and had brought so many families together. Very little remains, physically, of the amusement park attractions, but what we did find is fascinating, as you'll see in the link below. You can still see the words "Boblo Island" on the Space Needle, 25 years after the park's closing. In 1958 the island was the site of joint Canadian-American war games, addressing a hostile force presence with amphibious units from around the Great Lakes. It was like a little cruise. In fact didn''t go as much as I would of liked to. A sign leads residents and visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island. A combined force of British and Native American soldiers in canoes surprised and overpowered an American vessel en route to Detroit. I was born and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan. Founded in 2017, K.K.Dhandapani World School, Deevanur is a part of the Dharani Educational institutions group. Now surrounded by tall grass and weeds, the park's historic entertainment theater remains near the center of the island. Ex-MSU dean sues interim president for leading alleged plot to remove him. They are 1,405 square feet with a full basement. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. Boblo officially closed in 1993. (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). The dock is gone and the passageway is mostly surrounded by weeds and overgrown grass. View TODAY's New Listings by beds, baths, lot size, listing status, days on market, & more! It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. My husband is on the Grosse Ile Historical Society BoardI have pictures of Sugar Island in its heyday. The boat would stop there to take people to the island for the day. Bois Blanc Island was where Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, a Native American warrior, decided to place his headquarters during the War of 1812. And then came the Boblo Island Amusement Park with its famous Screamer, Nightmare, and Wild Mouse rides, its zoo, and carousel. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The Boblo boat took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit river to Boblo Island Amusement Park. Courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society, Photographer Joe Clark. (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. Is it an easy walk to the restaurant on the west side from the ferry dock? 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. [1] The "Bob-Lo boats" boats were sold in November 1991. This is the structure that once housed the Boblo Island Amusement Park bumper cars. He's been with WDIV since 2013. The Columbia's ship keeper, Sam Buchanan, said the St. Clair has "a prominent role" in. 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. ), Thank you so much for the great information. The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide. Michelle, I interpret Roys use of the phrase mega-millionaires as being in service of describing the island developers, not the residents. Remember it was a time when girls wore dresses and not pants, so we sure had to be careful on the rides (check out the pictures how the girls were dressed). 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. And a Fairyland park on the ocean in OR, etc. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. The middle section of the island was developed as a park. Of more concern than strangers arriving by ferry would be the boats that pull up and anchor around the island on summer days. People should not be making assumptions about the island residents. 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. Boblo closed for good in September 1993. In the distance is a building featuring dozens of condos. You can also see the large stage and the curtain with big holes in it. British troops captured 60 of the attackers and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. - Marva, I am 63 years old and I remember Bob-lo so well. 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. 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. Boblo Island is preparing to greet more than 200 new residents with construction soon to begin and new roads in the south end of the island recently completed . As a child I went to Bob-Lo Island every summer from the Detroit Side of the island. Built in the early 1900s, the SS Columbia and SS Ste. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this site. There are two total bedrooms in this home. Claire and the SS Columbia? 272 acres. 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. Yes, I list http://www.boblo.ca as a source where one can get more information in my book Great Lakes Island Escapes: Ferries and Bridges to Adventure (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2016). YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Millions of Americans and Canadians share memories of riding the Swan Boats or the train that circled the park. In fact, one of those . Visit Boblo.ca for information about living on the island. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you . He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. Many years later, the ferries were sold but the service was continued by a number of different, smaller boats. That is what the park was supposed to be about. 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. Review. - Sally. Claire, seen in 2016. The 16mm film is from around 1960. After coming aboard, visitors could look down from the main deck into the engine room, where powerful shafts and cams slowly warmed up. Thank you again for the information. 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 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. Each held about 2,500 passengers. The park's coasters and rides were sold following its closing in 1993, but there are intriguing remnants. 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. A tri-plex home. Newly restored in the Spring of 2013 by the residents of the community, they now offer Blockhouse tours on most Sundays from 1pm - 4pm. "We are at the point in restoration to where it was a steel skeleton structure ready to be rebuilt." Most people just drive their vehicles onto the ferry from Amherstburg and are home in a few minutes. The fire could not be contained and destroyed the historic mahogany woodwork and upper decks. Boblo Island Amusement Park ran from 1898 to 1993. An incident in 1902 caused a man-made mini earthquake on the island. Without Michael's approval the park was closed, the rides sold off, dismantled and shipped away. [6] In February 1992, the park was put up for sale for US$9 million, half of its 1988 purchase price, though it committed to opening it for that summer. Locate and compare Service d'ambulance in Mersea ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. The 18-mile boat ride was carried out by the famous ships: the Columbia, built in 1902, and the Ste. See all (4) Boblo Island closed for essentially the same reasons as many other urban amusement parks closed. An estimated 30,000 people passed through the island on their way to freedom. Boblo Boats Documentary Hitting Select Theatres in Detroit This Fall [VIDEO], Metallicas 72 Seasons Global Premiere Where You Can Watch in Michigan, Detroit Chef Named Chopped Champ Donates $10K Prize, Tri-County Ninja & Collectibles in Fenton Approved for Liquor License, Compete in Cedar Point Trivia from the Comfort of Your Michigan Home, Michigan Has Enforced the Death Penalty a Remarkably Low Number of Times, Celebrate 21 Years Of The Machine Shop In March, 13 Suggestions to Fill Flints Empty Sears in Genesee Valley Mall. Parts of that tower still stand. By 1742, a French mission among the Hurons was established. You can find the Boblo Island Beach House restaurant on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobloIslandMarina Also the Boblo Island Marina: https://www.facebook.com/BobloIslandMarina You may be able to get the information you need by writing to: BOBLOMARINA@BOBLO.CA You may want to mention youre coming from the States; I dont know the protocol for private boats crossing the international border in the river to dock. Not a single lot was sold between 9/11 and May 2004. 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). 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. Boblo Island is an Island in the Detroit River located directly west of Amherstburg, Ontario, on the Canadian side of the border. These homes are 1,250 square feet on the sides, 1,625 in the middle. What a shame, all gone because some mega millionaires wanted more money. The Boblo Island amusement park closed in the 1990s after a century of operation. 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's with those GIANT PIE PANS in Traverse City & Charlevoix? Comments Off on why did boblo island close; June 9, 2022; why did boblo island close Wild grapevine has made it to the second floor balcony of the gallery. 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. Boblo Island was very special. It's sister boat, the Columbia, was built in 1902. Colorful adirondack chairs surround a campfire pit near Captain Bob's. The non-French residents called it Boblo, and the name was officially accepted in 1949. Find the best offers for your search boblo island. British troops captured 60 people and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. While incapacitated in hospital, he lost legal control of island. Soon after this, the British obtained the surrender of the American fort in Detroit without a shot being fired. wayne hills high school marching band; code postal ariana borj louzir; homes for sale on cary drive auburn, al 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 juvenile coyote was gone in another blink of the eye. [19] He vaguely proposed a casino, hotel, and other development. Not fair to blame millionaires when often it is a corporation that can run out money after 5 or 6 bad years. Author: Michael R Stoller Jr CC BY-ND 2.0 Though not all is lost. [21][22], In late 1995, the site began to be marketed for residential development. 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 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. One of the more high-end homes on the north end of Boblo Island, Ontario. Bois Blanc Island, Pointe Aux Pins, MI 49775 +1 231-634-7100 + Add website + Add hours. A retreat for the wealthy, amidst dilapidated remnants of history and ghosts of the past, with nature ever encroaching. Many of you remember taking the journey to the top for a breathtaking view of the park. We live on the east shore of Grosse Ile, we would love to take our boat to eat at the restaurant. . 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. St. Claire and the SS Columbia offered ferry services to all those wishing to travel to Boblo Island. The ferry runs 365 days a year, departing every 20 minutes. 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. The last summer that Bob-Lo operated as an amusement park was almost two decades ago: 1993. Boblo Island today: 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 Detroit-Wayne County Port Authority found a way to end a 100-year agreement that gave the Moroun-owned Ambassador Port Co. sweeping control, but questions remain about the speed at which the deal gained approval of the public authority's board, transparency about the deal and what it means for the port going forward. Answer (1 of 2): I have barely recallable memories of POP. The Bobl-Lo Island of today? We also traveled from. Im glad you made this comment. About Boblo Island Amusement Park: The operations ended in 1993. In 1993, after nearly 100 years in the business of entertainment, it was decided that the park was to be closed. Private cottages and government property remained at the north and south ends of the island. Morale among the employees both on the Boats and the Island was at an all-time low according to some veteran workers. They transformed the island into an amusement park, including a coaster, Ferris wheel, fun house and more. "I have all the amenities of city life that I need within walking distance in Amherstburg, and all the amazing amenities the island life brings me.". In 1949, the island was threatened by bankruptcy. The British also built a lighthouse in 1836 which operated until 1959. Boblo's miniature railroad was perfect for those interested in something more leisurely than the island's rollercoaster. My concern with respect to Bob-Lo Island is that what structures are left from the islands very interesting history are not being adequately protected. http://boblo.ca/. You can also visit Boblo.ca. 2,000. 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! Ive been talking to friends who also loved Boblo and I am going to do further study. 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. This was particularly true during the Great Depression and the World War II era, when finances were tight and the world seemed to exist in a perpetual state of anxiety. [24] The island was off limits to non-residents until 2002. Colorful picnic tables near Captain Bob's Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin. How to live on Boblo Island: The swan paddle boat ride was added in 1970, which became a fan favorite. 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 name of the island was changed to Boblo in 1929 when visitors had problems correctly pronouncing the original French name. I wish that the people that bought this island could restore it. Update: A couple of them were partially restored and used during the filming ofTransformers 4. The island features many new homes and plenty of land to build on. The ferry runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is sad, Cheryl. Ive always wondered about the island and have wanted to go back. I agree. It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. What did you do? 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). Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Unfortunately, my search came up empty. I vaguely remember going to Boblo Island Amusement Park as a kid and recently found myself wondering what happened to the place. I enjoyed BobLo so much as a child-we boarded the boats in Wyandotte. 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.. Such a sad and difficult ending to such a WONDERFUL PLACE. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. You can just picture all of the kids having fun smashing into each other in their cars. For more excitement there was the Whip, Wild Mouse, Tilt-a-Whirl, and Dodgeem Cars. Abandoned Boblo Island Amusement Park is a former amusement park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. It was one of the most popular places to dance in the 1920s. Today, 24 years after the park was closed and 118 years after its grand opening, little remains as a reminder of the islands history. Once known as Bois Blanc Island, Boblo lies on the Detroit River on the Canadian side. BOBLO ISLAND AMUSEMENT PARK entertained people from both Canada and USA for 96 YEARS ! Claireoffered their own form of entertainment. Building the lighthouse on the island instead of the shoal presented several advantages: a shorter tower could be used due to the . . These steamers could carry more than 2,000 passengers from Detroit to the island. One cant imagine a happy centennial celebration for this historic building . During the mid-19th century, the island was sold in parcels to several private owners who built cottages, stables, and trails. The homes come with all appliances. 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. A woman leans against the fence in the foreground to take a picture of the ride. 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 was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. A powerhouse that supplied electricity to the nearby Carousel which is no longer there. It was in a time when the parents didn''t have to worry about the children. This is now the only ferry which goes to and from Boblo Island. Only one blockhouse remains today. Families need to be brought back together and enjoy their children once again. Boblo Island looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The rides were sold to other amusement parks around the country. Is there a safe dock area, in which to leave our boat-(also Draft/depth) info .Is there a dock fee? . 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.
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