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. DETROIT (FOX 2) - Narrated by Motown legend Martha Reeves, the movie "Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale" is finally in theatres. You can visit the island now, as I did in July of 2011 (all the photos accompanying the blog posting above were taken on that visit), by taking a small car ferry across a narrow strip of the Detroit River from the Bob-Lo Discovery Centre in Amherstburg, Ontario. DETROIT Say the name "Boblo" to anyone who grew up around Michigan, and their eyes will light up. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court and resulted in a notable 1948 decision construing the scope of the commerce clause. 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. Bring a bike or plan to hike as the only streets to accommodate cars are in the development. . The Boblo Island boat, S.S. Ste Claire, was destroyed on Friday morning after a massive fire on the ship. 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. A woman leans against the fence in the foreground to take a picture of the ride. The ferry leaves every 20 minutes from a dock next to the "Bob-Lo Discovery Centre.". http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/17/historic-boblo-island-blo_n_1098807.html, http://www.flickr.com/photos/33535417@N05/4112593095/, http://www.boblo.ca/pages/living/restaurant.html, https://www.facebook.com/BobloIslandMarina, http://www.rivertowntimes.com/?s=Captain+bobs&submit, http://www.freep.com/article/20140706/NEWS05/307060053/boblo-island-memories-boat-development, http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/05/23/grosse-iles-sugar-island-beach-opens-to-public-saturday/, Boblo Island Beach House Restaurant Houzz Home, Slaves (traveling the Underground Railroad), The south blockhouse, built in 1838 (Update: See. It's a place for those looking to surround themselves with nature, including the more than 50 different species of birds. Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. A sign leads residents and visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island. This is the living space inside one of the single family homes. Even the words scrawled across its portal announced simply "Eastwood Park.". These luxury dwellings were erected. Its too bad they couldnt have it ready for this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary. The restaurant is open to residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday. [1] Other smaller ferries served the park from Amherstburg and Gibraltar, Michigan, which were located closer to the park on the Detroit River. The Boblo boats took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit River to Boblo Island Amusement Park. Claireoffered their own form of entertainment. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. 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. 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. - Kathy G. We kids were able to run up and down the stairs on the boat and go to the dance floor. I can only imagine the dangers of the dilapidated buildings, to say nothing of concerns about strangers. You can still see the words "Boblo Island" on the Space Needle, 25 years after the park's closing. Families need to be brought back together and enjoy their children once again. 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. 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. The ship, docked at Riverside Marina on the Detroit River, caught fire after 11 a.m. on . By each step it became more clear that this was left for dead a long time ago. 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. The back of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford and built in 1913. 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. All Rights Reserved. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. The tiny island is located in the middle of the East River, parallel to Manhattan's East 46th to 85th Streets. The rides were sold in 1994, but as we discovered via YouTube, a number of the park's structures still stand on the island. [26] KPMG found there was no money left to continue supplying basic services. 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). 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.. [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. Morale among the employees both on the Boats and the Island was at an all-time low according to some veteran workers. These steamers could carry more than 2,000 passengers from Detroit to the island. This is the observation area which would rise to the top. From 1898 to 1993, the park was a summer staple for Detroit families. This is actually only about half of the full-size basement which has been fitted with windows and electricity for add-on bedrooms. Boblo Island Amusement Park was a beloved amusement park that began operating in 1898 and ran for almost 100 years. Action Park in New Jersey is known as the most dangerous amusement park in the country, six people passed away from 1980 to 1987. All the passengers who had purchased round-trip tickets were comfortably aboardall, that is, but one. Bleacher seating remains intact in the abandoned theater. Unfortunately, my search came up empty. Getting to the dock in Detroit early in the morning, the anticipation of boarding the boat, the ride on the river, the views, the fact I could play an arcade game on a boat blew my small mind. Claire, which used to take passengers to Boblo Island, sits on the Detroit River in August 2015. "[2] The Michigan Supreme Court fined the company $25 for the discrimination they presented towards Ray. I am so sad every time I think about Bob Lo. 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. Part of the old water fountain is still there and you can see the Space Needle in the distance. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. For visitors based in Detroit, it was about 30 kilometers away and could be reached by ferry. The cars operated by drawing power from an overhead electric grid unlike the Bumper Boats in use today. [2], The State of Michigan brought a racial discrimination case against the operators of the ferry service. I remember going to Boblo Island when I was a child, having fun riding rides; our children will never be able to do that. (Check out more Boblo history at BobloSteamers.com), Alex Atwell put together an awesome tour of the Ste. Four million tourists flock to Liberty Island in New York each year to see the architectural marvel, The Statue of Liberty. Parts of that tower still stand. Sad that it no longer exists. Wild grapevine has made it to the second floor balcony of the gallery. It was awesome place. Ferry passengers could be going to the island to patronize the restaurant. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. 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. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Peaking through the windows, you can see it's being used for storage. They are located next to the Dance Hall. But there is new life on the island 23 years after the closing of the amusement park. 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. - Sally. By 1742, a French mission among the Hurons was established. Photojournalist Seph Lawless has taken pictures of 10 abandoned theme parks around the US. Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. Exploring and discovering those remains is a thrill in its own right. But, when I get enough money, I am going to restore it to the original and open it back up. Along with homes, there are also property lots for sale in which people can build homes on. I had the pleasure of delivering a load of stuffed animals to the Park in the early 1990s, was a trip i will never forget, driving my Freightliner truck and a 48 foot trailer onto the wharf to make the trip across the river in the middle of the night over to the island then driving around the the park, having to stop and wait for the park benches to be moved for me to able to get truck and trailer around the turns stopping here and there to off load these stuffed toys into little electric carts for the arcade games before the park opened the next day, Friday of a May 24 weekend. 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. I just would like to see whats there and for my family to share it with me. 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. After the boats docked at night back in Detroit, Mr. Short continued entertaining at the local bars and taverns he frequented.[33]. The subdivision consists of a loop of a street containing a court within the loop. (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). It is slated to include a luxury hotel, international shops & restaurants, a 107-berth boat dock, and a pier large enough to accommodate lake cruise ships along with The S.S. . The ruins of what remains can be seen via the waterway that separates both Michigan and Ontario, but for many, the memories of this once-bustling park are what truly keep it alive. The 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. This thrilling park closed its doors for good in 1981, but not before providing visitors with decades of fun. The goal of developers is to someday populate the entire island with neighborhoods. Loved going to Bob-Lo as a kid. Interestingly, the islands history starts long before the amusement park was even planned. Anyone remember how much fun the dance floor was and how beautiful the boats were. Every home on the island is just steps away from the water. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. All rights reserved (About Us). It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River and was commonly referred to as Detroit's Coney Island. Plants and overgrown grass fill the dirt paths near the Space Needle. The SS Ste. 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. Windsor Mayor Arthur John Reaume wanted the island to be designated a National Park. They operated a Rotor in West Germany at Oktoberfest in 1949. The island is now a residential community. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. . steeped in history is open for business. The island is owned nearly in its entirety by Windsor developer Dominic Amicone through his Bob-Lo Island development company. His legacy died when the company came in and took over the park. Quite disappointing that we never went back, management was doing a terrible job. 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. For more excitement there was the Whip, Wild Mouse, Tilt-a-Whirl, and Dodgeem Cars. Though many of the amusement park structures have been torn down, you might still hear a passing. 2023 Detroit Historical Society. We live on the east shore of Grosse Ile, we would love to take our boat to eat at the restaurant. With probably more than a bit of clean-up and reconstruction, it would make a wonderful venue for a wedding reception!!! In June of 1999 Oram announced that he wished to recreate the amusement park on the mainland near Amherstburg, Ontario. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Since 1989, Kevin has collected miniature amusement park rides, and built a loose replica of Boblo Island in his home. When did Boblo boat stop running? A miniature railroad was built around the island in the 60s, along with a upgraded dock area. Remember, the island is in Canada, so you can't just cross over from the U.S. and dock there. Look at Sugar Island.it once was a special place. People from all over Michigan, Canada and from as far away as California, have chosen to make Boblo Island their home. [10], With no buyers materializing, Norton Auctioneers of Coldwater, Michigan, was retained to sell the property at auction on February 10, 1993. How to get to toronto island park? - Marva, I am 63 years old and I remember Bob-lo so well. 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. Today. The island is a five-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario, and 18 miles from Detroit. Once built, the dance hall was the second largest in the world, able to accommodate no less than 5,000 dancers. Yongma Land Abandoned Theme Park. [14], The 1993 season proved bumpy and was marred by miscues including disputes with island residents and the Canadian Coast Guard, compounded by the leader of Enchanted Parks, Michael Moodenbaugh, being seriously injured and breaking his spine in a car accident in Toledo, Ohio, in September. 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. 90-year old Captain Bob-Lo greets passengers - 1970s. [29], The tower for the Space Needle ride was demolished in 2021, with Amicone citing "health and safety concerns". It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. . The people of Detroit, Michigan, characterized it as the city's Coney Island. With a blast of the big steam whistle, lines were cast off, and the 20-mile voyage began, taking about 80 minutes. A tri-plex home. It runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at a fee of $10 each way. I was just in Amherstburg Sunday May 27,2013. People quit coming in the 1980s, then the money for upkeep is not there. When Ste. Heres an article that was in this past Sundays Detroit Free Press: http://www.freep.com/article/20140706/NEWS05/307060053/boblo-island-memories-boat-development Speaking of Sugar Island, have you heard, as of last year, theres now a public beach there? My husband is from This historic boat carried passengers to and from Boblo Island, and amusement park located on the Detroit River. The Island is now stripped on most of anything that would resemble an amusement park. - Bonnie, Oh! 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 Boblo boat Columbia is being restored by a New York nonprofit. It was a terrible idea to put a roller coaster in there. The Boblo Island Beach House Restaurant is located along the western shore of the island by the marina. 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 sat just above the mouth of the Detroit River, but was actually on the Canadian side on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. 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 . There appears to be no such organization, which may not be so surprising. She was one of the first residents of Boblo Island. "It's not the exact layout of Boblo Island," Kevin says in the documentary. 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 people of Detroit, Michigan characterized it as that city's Coney Island. Claire V can fit up to 16 vehicles as well as pedestrians and cyclists. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. You know what I think, I have never been over there. -Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park 1898-1993 Thanks . To tell you the truth I remember the boat rides to the park more than the park itself. The island has quite an interesting history. You can just picture all of the kids having fun smashing into each other in their cars. Big changes for Sugar Island, good changes-it has made the drinking & partying boating groups unable to overtake the island.It was not safe. And then came the Boblo Island Amusement Park with its famous Screamer, Nightmare, and Wild Mouse rides, its zoo, and carousel. 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. 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. Is there a safe dock area, in which to leave our boat-(also Draft/depth) info .Is there a dock fee? Anyone can go on the island via the ferry for a fee of $10 round-trip, but Boblo isn't a typical tourist destination. Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. For 19 years, the site has been abandoned, with many rides left to battle corrosion and plant life. The Human Spinning Rotor or simply "The Rotor" was invented by a German scientist, Ernst Hoffmeister, and was financially supported by businessman Carl Friese. [19] He vaguely proposed a casino, hotel, and other development. This is now the only ferry which goes to and from Boblo Island. My birthday is coming up, maybe my family can take me to the island. Can you go over to the island any time? Many years later, the ferries were sold but the service was continued by a number of different, smaller boats. Scattered over the restof the island, there are still a number of structures left from other erasmidst overgrown grass, downed limbs from trees, and more than a few other surprises: At the south end of the island, two pieces of history, although damaged, still stand: In the portion of the island that was once the amusement parkBob-Lo as the babyboomers knew ita number of structures still stand: Unfortunately, despite a private-property-no-trespassing sign . Though not all is lost. Only one blockhouse remains today. They created a destination to keep themselves busy on the weekend. [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. Our world today, especially with the pandemic, needs what we all once had back in this society. The mainland near Amherstburg, Ontario, and other development at Sugar Island.it once a. 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'S a place for those looking to surround themselves with nature, including the more than 2,000 from... Voyage began, taking about 80 minutes, that is, but not before visitors! Idea to put a roller coaster in there those looking to surround themselves with nature, including more! In use today 1742, a division of Graham Holdings a five-minute ferry from! This thrilling park closed its doors for good in 1981, but one parks around the US as away... Fun the dance floor years, the site has been fitted with and! Its 100th anniversary, 25 years after the park was a beloved amusement park was a beloved park!, so you ca n't just cross over from the water many rides left battle! Though many of the kids having fun smashing into each other in their cars the... The money for upkeep is not there and built a loose replica of Boblo Island good! Am 63 years old and I remember the boat and go to original... Rides, and their eyes will light up boat and go to the Island to be designated National...
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