[32], Boblo's Scootaboats, which were very similar to well known Bumper Cars, were a popular ride. I loved going there as it was much smaller than Cedar Point so riding the rides didnt take so long. Plenty of old carney magic still haunts this photogenic amusement park. Not one thing mentioned on the dance hall being 100 years old this year. [4], IBC declared bankruptcy in 1991. It's docked in New York. Departing from the foot of Woodward Avenue, whereHart Plazais now, theColumbiaandSte. It's a place for those looking to surround themselves with nature, including the more than 50 different species of birds. The goal of developers is to someday populate the entire island with neighborhoods. This is a small area of the white sand beach open to residents of Boblo Island. You can still see the words "Boblo Island" on the Space Needle, 25 years after the park's closing. What's with those GIANT PIE PANS in Traverse City & Charlevoix? 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. The first thing I did when I got back home was to search for a Bob-Lo Historical Society on the Internet. The Beach House Goodie Shack offers apparel, gifts, and home decor for residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday. One of the more high-end homes on the north end of Boblo Island, Ontario. OBSCURIST TOURIST 025 - Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. As one can use motor vehicles only in the northern residential tip of the island, if you plan to explore the island, you may want to bring a bike with you. We went alot and when my family''s jobs had company picnic it would always be Bob Lo. These are some of the many doors leading to the inside of the old Dance Hall. But the partnership soon dissolved into a clash of wills that led to the collapse of the amusement park and a bitter lawsuit. The boat would stop there to take people to the island for the day. It broke my heart to see the way everything looks these days. However, due to lack of demand, the park closed in 2001 and never reopened. The remnants of Boblo Island Amusement Park: That is what the park was supposed to be about. Bois Blanc Island (Ontario) Who owns Boblo Island? 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. Although there was a bike rental business near the marina and Beach House Restaurant on the west side of the island (the ferry dock is on the east side of the island), it was not open for business on the beautiful summer weekend day I was there, so I wouldnt count on being able to rent a bike on the island. Is there a safe dock area, in which to leave our boat-(also Draft/depth) info .Is there a dock fee? You do it for other people. British troops captured 60 of the attackers and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. Boblo Island Amusement Park was an amusement park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. The park closed in 1996 after several personal injury lawsuits were filed against it. Big changes for Sugar Island, good changes-it has made the drinking & partying boating groups unable to overtake the island.It was not safe. 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. When Ste. Riding the Rotor at Kennywood Park near Pittsburgh in 1955. 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. "For people who don't know, Boblo was an island amusement park that . 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 poster. Which theme park has the most deaths? 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. The price is a little over $300k. A new film tells us. Boblo was originally named Bois Blanc by the French, but residents couldn't pronounce the name. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court and resulted in a notable 1948 decision construing the scope of the commerce clause. It was like a little cruise. Theme parks, like Lake Shawnee Park in West Virginia, closed down after guests died at the park. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. [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. I dont think it is sad at all! Over the years, the park began to decline and wane in popularity. Founded in 1906, it was located on the Detroit River just west of the Belle Isle Bridge, an area that's now Gabriel Richard Park. I grew up visiting the island and Im hoping to return to explore it again someday. 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. The children of this time will never get to enjoy what we did when we were children. These luxury dwellings were erected. In 1991, those boats were sold and smaller ferries took people from Gibraltar, Mich., to the island, as well as Amherstburg. The 1991, the boats ceased their 81-year run, and the park closed in 1993. Its sister. Photo courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society. Families need to be brought back together and enjoy their children once again. What did you do? 272 acres. [16] Moodenbaugh later sued Benaroya and others for attempting to sell the park while he lay in a "virtual coma". "[2] The Michigan Supreme Court fined the company $25 for the discrimination they presented towards Ray. I worked on the Boats in 1980. My husband is on the Grosse Ile Historical Society BoardI have pictures of Sugar Island in its heyday. Ive been talking to friends who also loved Boblo and I am going to do further study. I enjoyed BobLo so much as a child-we boarded the boats in Wyandotte. Finally, A young entrepreneur who successfully turned around a floundering amusement park in suburban Seattle bought Bob-Lo hoping to turn it around. [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. To tell you the truth I remember the boat rides to the park more than the park itself. 2y Julie Enmei Bondy Peaking through the windows, you can see it's being used for storage. A parking stub from Boblo Island, 1988 Claire was engulfed in an accidental fire while docked on the Detroit River on July 6, 2018. 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. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). Kathi. Quite disappointing that we never went back, management was doing a terrible job. Thank you again for the information. The definitive history of Bob-lo Island, a Canadian amusement park in the mouth of the Detroit River and a favorite recreation spot for generations of Detroit-area residents. Obscured in a small wooded area between the Dance Pavilion and the Terminal are the remains of the minature golf course: Consider this: I did not see another person during my entire afternoon exploration of the historic sites on the island, except for three young teenage girls I observed leaving the Resorts community pool and making their way down to the river alone, to the channel between Bob-Lo and Amherstburg, where, nestled next to the Terminal, is a very small sand beach where they swam. During the 1920s and 1930s, swimming contests were held that went fromBelle Isleto Bob-Lo, covering 24 miles. This year, I hear theres an ice cream concession, Captain Bobs on the island (http://www.rivertowntimes.com/?s=Captain+bobs&submit). Once built, the dance hall was the second largest in the world, able to accommodate no less than 5,000 dancers. Each historical society serves as a bead on a rosary linking current and future generations to the past, acts as a tool to support prayers of keeping the memories alive, keeps a link to the human roots of a distinctive place that has meant many things to many people over the years. [25], American investors were scared away after the September 11 attacks, which hurt the financial outlook for the development. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. The middle section of the island was developed as a park. We dont save anything for history any more. "It's not the exact layout of Boblo Island," Kevin says in the documentary. The island was home to a popular amusement park starting in the late 1890s. A miniature railroad was built around the island in the 60s, along with a upgraded dock area. To move visitors around the island, the park had a small railroad. [7] Though one expert felt that Boblo was too big to fail outright and could be turned around,[8] By June, however, no firm offers had been made for the park. 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.. Bois Blanc Island was where Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, a Native American warrior, decided to place his headquarters during the War of 1812. What a wonderful goal, Andrew! 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 park sat just above the mouth of the Detroit River, but was actually on the Canadian side on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. 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 passageway still exists showing Gilbraltar, Michigan to the left and Amherstburg, Ontario to the right. All the passengers who had purchased round-trip tickets were comfortably aboardall, that is, but one. 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. 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. The SS Ste. 2023 Detroit Historical Society. We are restoring one of Detroit's most iconic steamships, the Ste. 2y Guy Adelini One of my favorite rides! [18], In 1994, John Oram, an Iraqi immigrant to the United States who owned car stereo businesses, purchased the Boblo Island site. [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. People should not be making assumptions about the island residents. 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. One of those blockhouses remains, and is open for touring. Windsor Mayor Arthur John Reaume wanted the island to be designated a National Park. The old Dance Hall sits majestically abandoned on the center of the island. These homes are 1,250 square feet on the sides, 1,625 in the middle. 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 only access was via one of two ferries from Detroit or Amherstburg, the SS Ste. . Private cottages and government property remained at the north and south ends of the island. It was a terrible idea to put a roller coaster in there. When you disembark from the ferry, youfindyourself adjacent to a private very well-to-do residential area. They created a destination to keep themselves busy on the weekend. The north side of Boblo is a growing private community, with numerous homes and condominiums. For many in this part of Michigan, this boat resides in fond memories of trips to Boblo Island. In the beginning it was a picnic spot with beaches, athletic fields, bicycle tracks, and a stunning Mangels-Illions carousel. These steamers could carry more than 2,000 passengers from Detroit to the island. 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. Once the island closed, the boats sat abandoned for years. Boblo Island was very special. -Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park 1898-1993 Thanks . Morale among the employees both on the Boats and the Island was at an all-time low according to some veteran workers. One cant imagine a happy centennial celebration for this historic building . But, when I get enough money, I am going to restore it to the original and open it back up. 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. Four million tourists flock to Liberty Island in New York each year to see the architectural marvel, The Statue of Liberty. The island is owned nearly in its entirety by Windsor developer Dominic Amicone through his Bob-Lo Island development company. Known as Boblo Amusement Park, it was wildly popular with American tourists throughout much of the 20th century until it closed in 1993. i need a boblo island abandoned amusement park date pic . I agree. 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.. Required fields are marked *. 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. I wish that the people that bought this island could restore it. This historic boat carried passengers to and from Boblo Island, and amusement park located on the Detroit River. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this site. BOBLO runs Nov. 22 to Dec. 2 at the Great Hall Black Box Theatre (former venue of the Theatre Centre), 1087 Queen St. W. For tickets ($20-$25), visit theatrecentre.org or call 416-538-0988. The island is mainly a place where people can live in serenity. My twin daughters, now 35, remember, but my son, 28, will never know. [29], The tower for the Space Needle ride was demolished in 2021, with Amicone citing "health and safety concerns". Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. By 1742, a French mission among the Hurons was established. A tennis court sits next to a home on the island. After Memorial Day Weekend in 1997, park rangers learned that the arch had collapsed. Today the community on this island is known as the Marina Resort Community. It was in a time when the parents didn''t have to worry about the children. The east side of the island is now home to residential property, marinas, a restaurant and more. Boblo Island now boasts deluxe houses and condos, valued from $184,000 to $1.15 million, with walk-out basements and turreted views of the Detroit River. Watch. The living space of the Deerview twin villas. By 1910 the first amusement park rides, the carousel, ponies and a dancing pavillion were available. An island in Amherstburg, Ont. From Queens, you can get there via the Roosevelt Island Bridgethis is the only way to walk or drive onto the island. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. 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. This is what the more than 100-year old steamer looked like a few years ago. [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. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The Bobl-Lo Island of today? It's sister boat, the Columbia, was built in 1902. 525 55 shares Like Most relevant Ryan Hance How long ago did this place close and why did it close down? You can explore and find the foundations of the dance floor ruins. Look at Sugar Island.it once was a special place. A woman leans against the fence in the foreground to take a picture of the ride. "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.". Residents of the small community live among acres and acres of nature, just steps from water. 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Millions of Americans and Canadians share memories of riding the Swan Boats or the train that circled the park. Instead, the island and steamships were purchased by the Browning family. Both doors are were chain locked. This is the remnants of an old putt-putt golf course. The beautiful wood flooring should never have been ripped out. Wild grapevine has made it to the second floor balcony of the gallery. Its very sad because growing up that was all everyone talked about was Boblo Island, and all the amazing memories. 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 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. In 1949, bankruptcy threatened the island park. The restaurants 2013 grand opening was May 24th. 2y Shelly Premer Neault Still closed. A sign leads residents and visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island. How I recall the fun times of going to Bob-Lo, with my sisters and brother. 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. Or for the Lavatory building next to it, built to match the other stone buildings on the island. Today. Boblo Boats: A Detroit Fairy Tale Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale YouTube Channel . . Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Today, 24 years after the park was closed and 118 years after its grand opening, little remains as a reminder of the islands history. Everyone has a memory to tell. It had e. With all the history on that island, I dont get it why it was left to die. Plants and overgrown grass fill the dirt paths near the Space Needle. 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 Island is now stripped on most of anything that would resemble an amusement park. Only a few buildings and the sky tower structure still stand. I can only imagine the dangers of the dilapidated buildings, to say nothing of concerns about strangers. On that trip, my companions on the Bob-Lo Excursion Line steamer were other ninth graders from Livonias Holmes Junior High. - Bonnie, Oh! The only other way to get to the island is to dock a private boat. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. The company had just been sold to a group from Texas who ran a small park. [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. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. The place just went completely downhill. 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. Interestingly, the islands history starts long before the amusement park was even planned. Electric Park was the dream-come-true of Arthur C. Gaukler, a. This photo shows people boarding the SS St. Claire (built in 1910) bound for Boblo Island. Claire V can fit up to 16 vehicles as well as pedestrians and cyclists. Boblo Island looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers In June 1945, Sarah Elizabeth Ray and 12 other female workers involved in the war effort (and referred to as "girls" during the legal proceedings) took part in a sponsored trip to Boblo Island. Bob-Lo Park (Sometimes seen as Boblo) was established as an entertainment destination in 1898 by the Detroit,Belle Isleand Windsor Ferry Company. The ferry leaves every 20 minutes from a dock next to the "Bob-Lo Discovery Centre.". After the boats docked at night back in Detroit, Mr. Short continued entertaining at the local bars and taverns he frequented.[33]. From the U.S. (departing from Detroit) your routeto the ferry would looklike this: The ferry boat captain had to take the Detroit Rivers strong current into consideration in maneuvering the ferry boat to the dock. The earliest historical reference, from 1718, describes 70 Native American families peacefully farming the fertile land. I am so sad every time I think about Bob Lo. Claire, built in 1910. I agree; it would be wonderful if the park could be restored or perhaps, reinvented to serve in a new way of bringing community together! Your email address will not be published. The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide - just 272 acres. This historic boat carried passengers to and from Boblo Island, and amusement park located on the Detroit River. On a summer day in 1945, Sarah Elizabeth Ray stood up for something because she wasn't allowed to sit down. Yongma Land Abandoned Theme Park. The Boblo boat took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit river to Boblo Island Amusement Park. Peering through the broken glass, one can see water covering portions of the floor. Many of the other rides are still entertaining guests at parks in Texas, Maryland, British Columbia, and Mexico. You support the mega millionaires who dont care about anything else in life except their bank accounts. By 10. 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. For 19 years, the site has been abandoned, with many rides left to battle corrosion and plant life. 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. There are no hotels. We toured the Ste Claire in 2015 while restoration efforts were ongoing before fire gutted it on July 6, 2018. If I had mega-millions I would invest in restoration of the island and the amusement park. Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company, From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina. 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). The ship, docked at Riverside Marina on the Detroit River, caught fire after 11 a.m. on . How to live on Boblo Island: You can also see the large stage and the curtain with big holes in it. And I stood and looked across the river, and what I remember is no longer there, and Im 54 years old . Clair and the SS Columbia. Many of you remember taking the journey to the top for a breathtaking view of the park. 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. It was one of the most popular places to dance in the 1920s. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. The island features many new homes and plenty of land to build on. 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Species of birds visiting the island, and home decor for residents and visitors dining!