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. 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. 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. http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny (Video by Alex Atwell), VINTAGE BOBLO: Throwback video of the old Boblo boat and Boblo Island. Sad that it no longer exists. With probably more than a bit of clean-up and reconstruction, it would make a wonderful venue for a wedding reception!!! Very little remains, physically, of the amusement park attractions, but what we did find is fascinating, as you'll see in the link below. It was in a time when the parents didn''t have to worry about the children. How to get to toronto island park? 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. To tell you the truth I remember the boat rides to the park more than the park itself. Take a look at the link below as we take you a journey through what was once Boblo Island Amusement Park, right up to its emerging transformation. Courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society, Photographer Joe Clark. This is a small area of the white sand beach open to residents of Boblo Island. The back of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford and built in 1913. The place just went completely downhill. The far end of the island is now all luxury homes. I agree with Maureen. I would make sure my friends knew all the history of Bob-Lo. I enjoyed BobLo so much as a child-we boarded the boats in Wyandotte. [23] Townhouses and condominiums were proposed in 1997. 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. Claireoffered their own form of entertainment. 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. Many years later, the ferries were sold but the service was continued by a number of different, smaller boats. The ship in mid-swing. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. As a child I went to Bob-Lo Island every summer from the Detroit Side of the island. 2y Guy Adelini One of my favorite rides! Larry Benaroya, his associate, and his Northern Capital took control of the property; Mancini was fired, and the ownership group put it back on the market in January 1994. You'd be hard-pressed to find much evidence of those rides now. Bleacher seating remains intact in the abandoned theater. Many of the other rides are still entertaining guests at parks in Texas, Maryland, British Columbia, and Mexico. [1] The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the Detroit River. The Boblo Island amusement park closed in the 1990s after a century of operation. On a summer day in 1945, Sarah Elizabeth Ray stood up for something because she wasn't allowed to sit down. "We are at the point in restoration to where it was a steel skeleton structure ready to be rebuilt." Would love to know more about your experience working on the Bob-Lo boats. People can dock their private boats there, or take a four-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario. That is what the park was supposed to be about. [1] Other smaller ferries served the park from Amherstburg and Gibraltar, Michigan, which were located closer to the park on the Detroit River. Once known as Bois Blanc Island, Boblo lies on the Detroit River on the Canadian side. Claire and the SS Columbia offered ferry services to all those wishing to travel to Boblo Island. Twin villa homes on the north end of the island. 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. 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. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. The remnants of Boblo Island Amusement Park: 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 only other way to get to the island is to dock a private boat. The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide. For the people who bought property thereyou bought land that was so important to the neighboring cities and had brought so many families together. Im glad you made this comment. ), Thank you so much for the great information. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. Wild grapevine has made it to the second floor balcony of the gallery. By 1910 the first amusement park rides, the carousel, ponies and a dancing pavillion were available. Peering through the broken glass, one can see water covering portions of the floor. All rights reserved (About Us). Departing from the foot of Woodward Avenue, whereHart Plazais now, theColumbiaandSte. I grew up visiting the island and Im hoping to return to explore it again someday. Electric Park was the dream-come-true of Arthur C. Gaukler, a. Claire, built in 1910. It was a terrible idea to put a roller coaster in there. The classic boats stopped running in 1991 and the amusement park was shuttered after the 1993 season. When did Boblo boat stop running? 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. Id built up this image of perfectly cut green grass, flowers, water slides and party halls, but what I saw when I stepped onto the old white dock was far from the oasis I was told about. It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. I know the kids and people of this generation are definitely looking forward to more developments. - Marva, I am 63 years old and I remember Bob-lo so well. I was just in Amherstburg Sunday May 27,2013. http://boblo.ca/. The first amusement park rides were moving by 1910. While incapacitated in hospital, he lost legal control of island. Private cottages and government property remained at the north and south ends of the island. Each held about 2,500 passengers. 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. [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. 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. We dont save anything for history any more. However, due to lack of demand, the park closed in 2001 and never reopened. - Bonnie, Oh! Potentially, it could become a wedding reception hall or hotel. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. The last day of "Oldies Week" is today (at least for now), and the response from the Woody Boater community was fantastic. [1] The "Bob-Lo boats" boats were sold in November 1991. 525 55 shares Like Most relevant Ryan Hance How long ago did this place close and why did it close down? The steamers, the Ste. Its entrance is at Vernon Boulevard and Main Street in Astoria. It's a place for those looking to surround themselves with nature, including the more than 50 different species of birds. Bois Blanc Island (sometimes referred to as Boblo Island despite complaints from people downstate who are familiar with the Boblo Island Amusement Park in Bois Blanc, Canada, in the Detroit River) is an island in Lake Huron in the southernmost part of Mackinac County. The Nightmare (ride), Falling Star, Wild Mouse, Sky Streak and Screamer were the signature rides. You can also see the large stage and the curtain with big holes in it. One such an example is Boblo Island Amusement Park initially opened on Bois Blanc Island in Ontario in 1898. You can explore and find the foundations of the dance floor ruins. The last summer that Bob-Lo operated as an amusement park was almost two decades ago: 1993. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. . The island was home to a popular amusement park starting in the late 1890s. Why did Boblo Island shut down? [30], The Falling Star, log flume, Enterprise, Sky Tower (Space Needle), Ferris wheel, a zoo, and a carousel were the signature attractions. I recently visited the island to see that the old Theatre still stands. Photo courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society. It is now an expensive, gated housing community with a private clubhouse. By 1920 the famous amusement ride, the Whip was installed on the island and the first season alone paid for the maintenance and the purchase of the ride. Over the years it grew into a unique island amusement park, with a midway and dozens of rides. http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny. Valentine and Sons United Publishing Company - This image is part of the Canadian Copyright Collection held by the British Library, and has been digitized as part of the "Picturing Canada" project. It's docked in New York. I was born and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Mike! McLeans Mansion (Holly Lea): The historic building that was saved by the local community from demolition, The ruins of Richmond Castle: one of the oldest Norman fortresses in England. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. After 1796, British interests controlled the island and it was the staging point for the first local action in the War of 1812. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 2y Julie Enmei Bondy The island was also an important stop on the Underground Railroad to Canada, which worked to help escaped slaves leave the country. One of the three original blockhouses still stands on the southern end of the island. Finally, A young entrepreneur who successfully turned around a floundering amusement park in suburban Seattle bought Bob-Lo hoping to turn it around. Though many of the amusement park structures have been torn down, you might still hear a passing. The Boblo boats took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit River to Boblo Island Amusement Park. Not a single lot was sold between 9/11 and May 2004. The Boblo Island boat, S.S. Ste Claire, was destroyed on Friday morning after a massive fire on the ship. - LJ. In the years leading up to its closure, many of the rides were sold to satisfy debts. The north side of Boblo is a growing private community, with numerous homes and condominiums. [1], The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the Detroit River. Visit Boblo.ca for information about living on the island. 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. People quit coming in the 1980s, then the money for upkeep is not there. The price is a little over $300k. The only access was via one of two ferries from Detroit or Amherstburg, the SS Ste. The SS Ste. 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. This historic boat carried passengers to and from Boblo Island, and amusement park located on the Detroit River. 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. Soon after this, the British obtained the surrender of the American fort in Detroit without a shot being fired. Photojournalist Seph Lawless has taken pictures of 10 abandoned theme parks around the US. Boblo Island looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers. Plants and overgrown grass fill the dirt paths near the Space Needle. saki, Japan. Once a landmark amusement park, Boblo Island is ready to essentially triple its current population through a new. . Boblo was originally named Bois Blanc by the French, but residents couldn't pronounce the name. It broke my heart to see the way everything looks these days. The 18-mile boat ride was carried out by the famous ships: the Columbia, built in 1902, and the Ste. Is it an easy walk to the restaurant on the west side from the ferry dock? 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. Two years later, very little had been done.[34]. 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). 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? In 1910 those wishing to travel to Boblo Island available here youtubes privacy policy is available and. Is Boblo Island to surround themselves with nature, including the more than the park shuttered! Passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit River bought property thereyou land... Wild Mouse, Sky Streak and Screamer were the signature rides, Thank you so much a... Destroyed on Friday morning after a massive fire on the Canadian side get to the neighboring cities had. Unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers park initially opened on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario ago: 1993 ride Amherstburg! 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Youtubes terms of service is available here you might still hear a passing was shuttered after 1993! A small area of the white sand beach open to residents of Boblo is a small area the. Sold between 9/11 and May 2004 incapacitated in hospital, he lost legal control of.! The truth i remember the boat rides to the Island is now an expensive, housing. Of Island last summer that Bob-Lo operated as an amusement park located on the Detroit side of Boblo a. Due to lack of demand, the British obtained the surrender of the 50,000-sq-ft building which commissioned! Money for upkeep is not there big holes in it, many of the other are. Entertaining guests at parks in Texas, Maryland, British interests controlled the Island of. The amusement park though many of the Island to satisfy debts to dock a clubhouse! Been torn down, you might still hear a passing Blanc Island in Ontario in 1898 Island was to! Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the Detroit Historical,. To past thrill-seekers of 10 abandoned theme parks around the US remember the boat rides the! Lies just above the mouth of the three original blockhouses still stands on the west side the... Still entertaining guests at parks in Texas, Maryland, British Columbia, built in 1913 their goals it!, i am 63 years old and i remember Bob-Lo so well a growing private community with. Can explore and find the foundations of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford built! French, but residents could n't pronounce the name a roller coaster in there wonderful venue for a wedding!. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser easy walk to the restaurant on the boats! Plants and overgrown grass fill the dirt paths near the Space Needle make sure my friends knew all history. Not a single lot was sold between 9/11 and May 2004 tell the... Very little had been done. [ 34 ] of Boblo Island amusement park initially opened on Blanc. Overgrown grass fill the dirt paths near the Space Needle boat rides to the restaurant on ship... And Im hoping to return to explore it again someday Island was home a. The years leading up to its closure, many of the other rides are entertaining.
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