Peering through the broken glass, one can see water covering portions of the floor. (LogOut/ Loved going to Bob-Lo as a kid. Boblo Island today: 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. The last summer that Bob-Lo operated as an amusement park was almost two decades ago: 1993. 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. Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company, From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina. This is the living space inside one of the single family homes. Bois Blanc Island, former site of the Bob-Lo Island amusement park, is located at southern endof the DetroitRiver before it enters Lake Erie,and is about one-half mile wide and three miles long. 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. [16] Moodenbaugh later sued Benaroya and others for attempting to sell the park while he lay in a "virtual coma". (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). I would make sure my friends knew all the history of Bob-Lo. 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. Boblo (or Bob-Lo) sparks memories for many adults who. I was just in Amherstburg Sunday May 27,2013. "Yeah, she's 110 years old, but she's well-built and she survived," said boat co-owner, Ron Kattoo. DETROIT Say the name "Boblo" to anyone who grew up around Michigan, and their eyes will light up. The Boblo boats took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit river to Boblo Island Amusement Park. And then came the Boblo Island Amusement Park with its famous Screamer, Nightmare, and Wild Mouse rides, its zoo, and carousel. From the top deck of the SS St. Claire, passengers watch the SS Columbia (built in 1902). It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. It's sister boat, the Columbia, was built in 1902. The restaurants 2013 grand opening was May 24th. [19] He vaguely proposed a casino, hotel, and other development. Once known as Bois Blanc Island, Boblo lies on the Detroit River on the Canadian side. But, when I get enough money, I am going to restore it to the original and open it back up. This is now the only ferry which goes to and from Boblo Island. I wish that the people that bought this island could restore it. Series: DOCUMERICA: The Environmental Protection Agency's Program to Photographically Document Subjects of Environmental Concern, 1972 - 1977, via National Archives and Records Administration, Photo: Courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society, A glass blower puts on a demonstration in the craftsmen's area - 1970s, A child takes a spin on a ride at Boblo Island - 1970s. 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. The existence of such an organization would certainly be complicated by the facts that 1) Bob-Lo is a Canadian island with an overbearing American past, and 2) today Bob-Lo primarily serves asa retreat for the wealthy, who I can imagine would not want people coming to visit the historical remains there,any more than they would want hunters (although if theyown a cat or a small dog, the latter might be welcome if they could take care of the coyote population). My favorite ride was the Log Ride, I thought it was the greatest thing of all time. This is the view now from the end of the tunnel. All Rights Reserved. Boblo Island closed for essentially the same reasons as many other urban amusement parks closed. The park has been closed since 1993, but the legend of Boblo is still strong. My husband is from Boblo officially closed in 1993. Bois Blanc Island was where Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, a Native American warrior, decided to place his headquarters during the War of 1812. Boblo Island was an amusement park that was at one time larger than Cedar Point. Visitors could travel between rides and attractions using a mini railroad. See all (4) Ironically, after Canada abolished slavery in 1793, the island became a rest stop for escaped slaves traveling the Underground Railroad. why did boblo island close Menu fatal shooting in los angeles today. Claire or the Columbia, but no cellphone cameras documented that embarkation and carrying a Kodak Instamatic simply would not have been cool. Boblo Island Amusement Park ran from 1898 to 1993. Most people just drive their vehicles onto the ferry from Amherstburg and are home in a few minutes. 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 . Plus it was a place where the 400-pipe, 4-meter high, self-playing orchestra was housed. - Brandon, I am 73 years old and remember my parents taking me to Bob-Lo after picking me up at Willow Run Airport after a visit with relatives in Miami FL when I was 8 years old. Part of the old water fountain is still there and you can see the Space Needle in the distance. 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). - Bonnie, Oh! The SS Ste. 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. By 1742, a French mission among the Hurons was established. 2,000. Not fair to blame millionaires when often it is a corporation that can run out money after 5 or 6 bad years. [24] The island was off limits to non-residents until 2002. People from all over Michigan, Canada and from as far away as California, have chosen to make Boblo Island their home. An incident in 1902 caused a man-made mini earthquake on the island. The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. And a Fairyland park on the ocean in OR, etc. The Browning Family sold the island in 1979, which led to several owners in the following years, including IBC and AAA of Michigan. I found this very useful for Information! If anyone has Meade Gougeon's cell number, seriously, call him. - Kathy G. We kids were able to run up and down the stairs on the boat and go to the dance floor. An island in Amherstburg, Ont. She was one of the first residents of Boblo Island. The company had just been sold to a group from Texas who ran a small park. One to pick up, and one to return people. For those who lived it firsthand, though, Boblo Island was an accessible and affordable paradise right in Detroit's backyard. For more than a century, Bob-Lo Island had belonged to Ontario Province. The 1878 Mangels-Illions Carousels 44 horses, two goats, and two deer were sold for more than $1 million. Plant life around the old Space Needle observation tower. The Bob-Lo boats, once looked upon as part of the attraction of going on a trip to Bob-Lo were later being looked at as time wasted that could have been spent at the park. An old silent family home movie of a trip to Boblo Island Amusement Park, no longer existing. Bois Blanc Island, Pointe Aux Pins, MI 49775 +1 231-634-7100 + Add website + Add hours. 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. The Whip was installed in 1920, which was a huge hit, essentially paying for itself. Boblo Island Amusement Park had its own custom version of bumper cars, known as Boblos Scootaboats. 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 cars operated by drawing power from an overhead electric grid unlike the Bumper Boats in use today. Purchasing a home on Boblo Island? View TODAY's New Listings by beds, baths, lot size, listing status, days on market, & more! It was just announced in The Windsor Star that the dance pavilion is now for sale. Claire and the Columbia, as well as their Detroit docks, had been divested a few years earlier in 1991. The classic boats stopped running in 1991 and the amusement park was shuttered after the 1993 season. [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. [1] Other smaller ferries served the park from Amherstburg and Gibraltar, Michigan, which were located closer to the park on the Detroit River. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. Its a wonderful feeling strolling the island, standing next to buildings where 10s of thousands of souls now long departed use to frequent. 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. I am so sad every time I think about Bob Lo. To move visitors around the island, the park had a small railroad. 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. A tri-plex home. Baths. Edit: I hope it's just a tracker issue but it seemed to be working fine. They are 1,405 square feet with a full basement. A miniature railroad was built around the island in the 60s, along with a upgraded dock area. Ferry passengers could be going to the island to patronize the restaurant. We live on the east shore of Grosse Ile, we would love to take our boat to eat at the restaurant. [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. [23] Townhouses and condominiums were proposed in 1997. airbnb sarasota downtown; payday 2 infinite equipment mod; conduct unbecoming a police officer examples; randomforestclassifier' object has no attribute estimators_ why did boblo island close. The first amusement park rides were moving by 1910. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Only one blockhouse remains today. One reason is competition from larger theme parks. One of the three original blockhouses still stands on the southern end of the island. As well as some great stories, it includes some good photographs from all of the islands incarnations! Hard to believe it was an big destination, it seems too small to support an amusement park. Of more concern than strangers arriving by ferry would be the boats that pull up and anchor around the island on summer days. Really sad. Bob-Lo Island Beach House Restaurant 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). washington county, maine death records 0. why did boblo island close. the building is not secure, given that one-quarter of a large window in the front is broken in, metal strips hanging from its frame. That is what the park was supposed to be about. Visit Boblo.ca for information about living on the island. This is private property and the doors are chain locked. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Boblo Island (correct name: Bois Blanc) is an island in the Detroit River on the Canadian side of the border and is part of Amherstburg, Ontario. Can you go over to the island any time? Well, it went out of business a long time ago, but we found a few videos of what it looks like today -- check them out here. Over the years it grew into a unique island amusement park, with a midway and dozens of rides. 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. "Living on the island feels like being on vacation everyday," said Gena Boschin, a former Tennessee resident who lives on the island and works in Amherstburg. Claire provided . Such a sad and difficult ending to such a WONDERFUL PLACE. 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. Answer (1 of 2): I have barely recallable memories of POP. The SS Ste. These are some of the many doors leading to the inside of the old Dance Hall. 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). See All Homes for Sale in Amherstburg. Unfortunately, my search came up empty. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. For 81 years, she ferried generations of families as they experienced a Windsor-Detroit right of passage: an island getaway to the beloved Boblo Island amusement park. It was a terrible idea to put a roller coaster in there. "[2] The Michigan Supreme Court fined the company $25 for the discrimination they presented towards Ray. Over four decades, later, on July 30, 2011, I spent an afternoon on Bob-Lo. I can only imagine the dangers of the dilapidated buildings, to say nothing of concerns about strangers. Restoration of the Ste Claire had been going on for a few years. Answer: 90% of the time, it's because the parks don't have enough money and/or business to keep up with running costs, and the parks simply close and are left to rot. 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.. [Meta] Sticky Comment. Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. Once a landmark amusement park, Boblo Island is ready to essentially triple its current population through a new. The north side of Boblo is a growing private community, with numerous homes and condominiums. You do it for other people. why did boblo island close. 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. 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.. How to get to Boblo Island: Is there a safe dock area, in which to leave our boat-(also Draft/depth) info .Is there a dock fee? On the far side of the ride, people wait in line. 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.. Plants and overgrown grass fill the dirt paths near the Space Needle. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. Some of the most popular rides were "The Nightmare," "Sky Streak, "Screamer," and "Wild Mouse.". 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. You know what I think, I have never been over there. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. St. The island is mainly a place where people can live in serenity. A tennis court sits next to a home on the island. Find the best offers for your search boblo island. 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. As a child I went to Bob-Lo Island every summer from the Detroit Side of the island. I agree, Jennifer, very sad. Barely visible remains of the park. 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. 90-year old Captain Bob-Lo greets passengers - 1970s. [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. 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. The men's entrance is to the left. Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. The steamers, the Ste. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. Enjoy 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. Locate and compare 4423631-Canada-Inc in Colchester Country ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. 6 reviews #1 of 2 Restaurants in Pointe Aux Pins American Pub. "We are at the point in restoration to where it was a steel skeleton structure ready to be rebuilt." A sign leads residents and visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island. All rights reserved (About Us). 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. The island is now a residential community. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. These steamers could carry more than 2,000 passengers from Detroit to the island. A lamp posts once used to illuminate the amusement park at night. http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny. why did boblo island close. People should not be making assumptions about the island residents. But there is new life on the island 23 years after the closing of the amusement park. At the end of the turbulent 75 minutes, Boblo Boats brings us up-to-date on restoration efforts for both ferries while simultaneously summoning an unanticipated moral force. It is the remnant of a place where river boats took passengers to an amusement park on a Canadian island just to the south western end of the Detroit River. So sad. [5] The boats were sold off as a result of a decision to shutter operations at the Detroit dock. I was born and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan. We dont save anything for history any more. The price is a little over $300k. 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 swan paddle boat ride was added in 1970, which became a fan favorite. It was the site of a conflict in 1838 during the Upper Canadian Rebellion, where 50 attackers were locked in one of the three blockhouses that had been built on the island. The Boblo Island boat, S.S. Ste Claire, was destroyed on Friday morning after a massive fire on the ship. There's a white sand beach, walking trails, water sports, a waterside restaurant, an ice cream parlor and an in-ground pool. RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. - 585. 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. 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. It's just a stone's throw from historic Amherstburg, Ontario, which is a 30-minute drive from 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. [4], IBC declared bankruptcy in 1991. In 1991, those boats were sold and smaller ferries took people from Gibraltar, Mich., to the island, as well as Amherstburg. [30], The Falling Star, log flume, Enterprise, Sky Tower (Space Needle), Ferris wheel, a zoo, and a carousel were the signature attractions. (Check out more Boblo history at BobloSteamers.com), Alex Atwell put together an awesome tour of the Ste. He's been with WDIV since 2013. The children of these days dont know anything about Boblo Island and never will. The ferry runs 365 days a year, departing every 20 minutes. Bob-Lo was such a fun place and figures so prominently in many peoples childhood summertime memories! It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. The old Dance Hall sits majestically abandoned on the center of the island. Posted . Claire V can fit up to 16 vehicles as well as pedestrians and cyclists. One of the more high-end homes on the north end of Boblo Island, Ontario. They created a destination to keep themselves busy on the weekend. 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. My birthday is coming up, maybe my family can take me to the island. An estimated 30,000 people passed through the island on their way to freedom. why did boblo island closeconservation international ceo. My most vivid memory is the Sky Diver ride. [17], In March 1994, the rides were dismantled and sold off piecemeal to the Pacific National Exhibition and a series of U.S. theme parks, a moment that confirmed the "worst fears" of Malden Township officials; the amusement park paid 25 percent of its taxes.
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