[2], The State of Michigan brought a racial discrimination case against the operators of the ferry service. Colorful adirondack chairs surround a campfire pit near Captain Bob's. For 19 years, the site has been abandoned, with many rides left to battle corrosion and plant life. My birthday is coming up, maybe my family can take me to the island. To move visitors around the island, the park had a small railroad. British troops captured 60 of the attackers and built three log blockhouses to defend 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. The back of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford and built in 1913. Bleacher seating remains intact in the abandoned theater. [25], American investors were scared away after the September 11 attacks, which hurt the financial outlook for the development. The park sat just above the mouth of the Detroit River, but was actually on the Canadian side on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. The Human Spinning Rotor or simply "The Rotor" was invented by a German scientist, Ernst Hoffmeister, and was financially supported by businessman Carl Friese. The Boblo boat took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit river to Boblo Island Amusement Park. I can forward them to you if you would like. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. When did Boblo boat stop running? [5] The boats were sold off as a result of a decision to shutter operations at the Detroit dock. The classic boats stopped running in 1991 and the amusement park was shuttered after the 1993 season. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Each year the largest gathering was sponsored by the St. Andrew's Society of Detroit, which would often draw more than 10,000 visitors to their Scottish Games. This is the view now from the end of the tunnel. Ray was there to celebrate her graduation from secretarial school with her classmates. Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company, From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina. Twin villa homes on the north end of the island. "It's not the exact layout of Boblo Island," Kevin says in the documentary. 272 acres. The steamers, the Ste. - Kathy G. We kids were able to run up and down the stairs on the boat and go to the dance floor. People quit coming in the 1980s, then the money for upkeep is not there. As well as some great stories, it includes some good photographs from all of the islands incarnations! The north side of Boblo is a growing private community, with numerous homes and condominiums. People can dock their private boats there, or take a four-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [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. It may be under different management than when I had a pretty tasty perch sandwich there, but you can find out more, including their hours at: http://www.boblo.ca/pages/living/restaurant.html, Thank you very much for info. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this site. . 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 . On the far side of the ride, people wait in line. - Bonnie, Oh! He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. -Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park 1898-1993 Thanks . The man that made it did it to bring families together and spend time with their children. Or not. The amusement was a given. Claire and the SS Columbia offered ferry services to all those wishing to travel to Boblo Island. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. However, due to lack of demand, the park closed in 2001 and never reopened. One of those blockhouses remains, and is open for touring. If I had mega-millions I would invest in restoration of the island and the amusement park. It's just a stone's throw from historic Amherstburg, Ontario, which is a 30-minute drive from Windsor. 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. Over the years it grew into a unique island amusement park, with a midway and dozens of rides. 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. Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. 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. Boblo Island looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers Only a few buildings and the sky tower structure still stand. [2] After Michigan found Bob-Lo guilty and fined the company, Bob-Lo filed a lawsuit against the state, Bob-Lo Excursion Co. v. Michigan, 333 U.S. 28 (1948). Its too bad they couldnt have it ready for this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary. During the mid-19th century, the island was sold in parcels to several private owners who built cottages, stables, and trails. 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? The rides were sold to other amusement parks around the country. Bob-Lo was such a fun place and figures so prominently in many peoples childhood summertime memories! During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. The 24-year-old Black woman boarded the SS Columbia en route for Boblo Island a Canadian amusement park beloved by Detroiters. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. 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). 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. The boat would stop there to take people to the island for the day. Boblo (or Bob-Lo) sparks memories for many adults who. For the people who bought property thereyou bought land that was so important to the neighboring cities and had brought so many families together. The Boblo Island amusement park closed in the 1990s after a century of operation. It had e. It is now an expensive, gated housing community with a private clubhouse. Its very sad because growing up that was all everyone talked about was Boblo Island, and all the amazing memories. 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. Once a landmark amusement park, Boblo Island is ready to essentially triple its current population through a new. [28] However, a local housing slump meant little was developed. Colorful picnic tables near Captain Bob's Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. From the top deck of the SS St. Claire, passengers watch the SS Columbia (built in 1902). The website is that of Bob-Lo Island Custom Home Builder, the developer of the Marina Resort Community, Boblos current rendition. One such an example is Boblo Island Amusement Park initially opened on Bois Blanc Island in Ontario in 1898. http://boblo.ca/. The kitchen and dining space of the tri-plex. The last day of "Oldies Week" is today (at least for now), and the response from the Woody Boater community was fantastic. [18], In 1994, John Oram, an Iraqi immigrant to the United States who owned car stereo businesses, purchased the Boblo Island site. I wish that the people that bought this island could restore it. 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. The abandoned amusement park was a p. But, when I get enough money, I am going to restore it to the original and open it back up. To add . This house is 2,040 square feet with a full basement. 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. Of more concern than strangers arriving by ferry would be the boats that pull up and anchor around the island on summer days. What's with those GIANT PIE PANS in Traverse City & Charlevoix? [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. Kathi. My most vivid memory is the Sky Diver ride. The first thing I did when I got back home was to search for a Bob-Lo Historical Society on the Internet. I just kayaked to Boblo Island today, and I saw so much potential left in this land. British troops captured 60 people and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. "Yeah, she's 110 years old, but she's well-built and she survived," said boat co-owner, Ron Kattoo. How I recall the fun times of going to Bob-Lo, with my sisters and brother. See more ideas about island, amusement park, boblo boat. In 1949, bankruptcy threatened the island park. In 1993, after nearly 100 years in the business of entertainment, it was decided that the park was to be closed. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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. . In 1973, the Thunder Bolt coaster was built, which drew long lines. [27] Dominic Amicone became the new owner in 2005. Detroit Publishing Co via the Library of Congress, This appears to be the SS Columbia Boblo Boat, which was built in 1902, Ferry dock on Boblo Island - between 1890 and 1901. Not one thing mentioned on the dance hall being 100 years old this year. BOBLO Island poster. Boblo Island was an amusement park that was open for nearly 100 years. The park closed in 1993 as a result of poor management and attendance was shrinking because of other parks like Cedar Point. 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 . [24] The island was off limits to non-residents until 2002. 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. My husband is from By 1742, a French mission among the Hurons was established. 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. You can also visit Boblo.ca. Opened in Orlando in 1976, River Country was Walt Disney's first waterpark. This historic boat carried passengers to and from Boblo Island, and amusement park located on the Detroit River. Once known as Bois Blanc Island, Boblo lies on the Detroit River on the Canadian side. 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. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court and resulted in a notable 1948 decision construing the scope of the commerce clause. Such a sad and difficult ending to such a WONDERFUL PLACE. Michelle, I interpret Roys use of the phrase mega-millionaires as being in service of describing the island developers, not the residents. I remember going to Boblo Island when I was a child, having fun riding rides; our children will never be able to do that. So when we went to the Island, we took a cab to the downtown docks to catch the first boat out and then we would return on the last boat. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. $19 million in debt, John's brother Randy forced Boblo Island into court-appointed receivership in 2004. [2] Instead, the island and steamships were purchased by the Browning family. Wild grapevine has made it to the second floor balcony of the gallery. Yongma Land Abandoned Theme Park. 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? 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. 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). 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. Sad that it no longer exists. 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. The biggest surprise during my visit to Bob-Lo came from a different sort of stranger than the type Id been envisioning when I was watching the girls swim in the river. How to get to toronto island park? People from all over Michigan, Canada and from as far away as California, have chosen to make Boblo Island their home. 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