Claire, built in 1910. BOBLO ISLAND - The echoes from the screams of delight have long faded from Boblo Island Amusement Park, the Cedar Point of Michigan for most kids growing up in our region. I agree, Jennifer, very sad. The north side of Boblo is a growing private community, with numerous homes and condominiums. You do it for other people. The island has quite an interesting history. [29], The tower for the Space Needle ride was demolished in 2021, with Amicone citing "health and safety concerns". Claire and the SS Columbia offered ferry services to all those wishing to travel to Boblo Island. Gone are the roller coasters, but there are plenty of. The ferrys were known as "Bob-Lo Boats" and held about 2,500 passengers each. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. 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. Both doors are were chain locked. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you . The restaurants 2013 grand opening was May 24th. Very little remains, physically, of the amusement park attractions, but what we did find is fascinating, as you'll see in the link below. They transformed the island into an amusement park, including a coaster, Ferris wheel, fun house and more. [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. 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. "Yeah, she's 110 years old, but she's well-built and she survived," said boat co-owner, Ron Kattoo. [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. 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). One island. What a wonderful goal, Andrew! We also traveled from past to the present on the island, which was a must-visit destination for families for decades. An incident in 1902 caused a man-made mini earthquake on the island. When I was riding my bike on a trail that runs through the middle of the island, I came upon a T-intersection buried amidst tall, tall grass, with the Carousel Building on my left and the Powerhouse on my right. 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. The people of Detroit, Michigan, characterized it as the city's Coney Island. 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. Places like fort custer, MI and fort sheridan, illinois, all sold to profiteers. 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. OBSCURIST TOURIST 025 - Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. All Rights Reserved. The homes come with all appliances. You can still see the words "Boblo Island" on the Space Needle, 25 years after the park's closing. BOBLO ISLAND AMUSEMENT PARK entertained people from both Canada and USA for 96 YEARS ! You can also visit Boblo.ca. Boblo Island looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers. I just would like to see whats there and for my family to share it with me. He was 20 years older than me. One to pick up, and one to return people. A woman leans against the fence in the foreground to take a picture of the ride. The little that remains of the park is covered with vegetation or has been demolished. The east side of the island is now home to residential property, marinas, a restaurant and more. Edit: I hope it's just a tracker issue but it seemed to be working fine. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Mike! Sq.Ft. All rights reserved (About Us). A powerhouse that supplied electricity to the nearby Carousel which is no longer there. 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. Both vessels are bound for Boblo Island. Ray was removed from the boat because she was not white, enforced according to a Bob-Lo company policy "excluding so-called 'zoot-suiters', the rowdyish, the rough, and the boisterous, and it also adopted the policy of excluding colored. (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). why did boblo island close Menu fatal shooting in los angeles today. There are just two ways in and out of the island. There are no hotels. The only other way to get to the island is to dock a private boat. The fire could not be contained and destroyed the historic mahogany woodwork and upper decks. 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. 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. British troops captured 60 of the attackers and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. Not one thing mentioned on the dance hall being 100 years old this year. 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. - Kathy G. We kids were able to run up and down the stairs on the boat and go to the dance floor. 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. On the south side of the road leading from the ferry dock is a five-story condominium: Between the river and the condominium is a trail which heads south along the islands perimeter and allows a walker orbicyclist to view a number of historical structures, including the Sailors Monument, which still graces the eastern shore of the island: The commemorative plaque affixed to the Sailors Monument reads: Dedicated to 134 years of American-Canadian friendship across 4500 miles of unfortified border, protected only by the mutual respect and understanding one nation holds for the other. The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide. If anyone has Meade Gougeon's cell number, seriously, call him. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. This is the structure that once housed the Boblo Island Amusement Park bumper cars. About Boblo Island Amusement Park: Only one blockhouse remains today. You can just picture all of the kids having fun smashing into each other in their cars. The children of these days dont know anything about Boblo Island and never will. Rule 2 does not apply when replying to this stickied comment.. Rule 2 does apply throughout the rest of this thread.. What this means: Please keep any "meta" discussion directed at specific users, mods, or r/conspiracy in general in this comment chain only.. 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 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 Boats: A Detroit Fairy Tale The ferry is a short four minute ride to the island. Why not this man who gave everyone joy in life with their families? 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. - Bonnie, Oh! The once site of the infamous amusement park has been renamed erasing one of the last remnants of days gone by. Visit Boblo.ca for information about living on the island. Everyone has a memory to tell. The 16mm film is from around 1960. [3] The company had claimed it could exclude her because it was a private concern operating in another country and that neither Michigan nor any other state had authority to regulate commerce with Canada (a foreign country); the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Michigan Supreme Court, which had upheld the jurisdiction of the state's anti-discrimination provisions and found against the company. Instead, the island and steamships were purchased by the Browning family. The ferry runs 365 days a year, departing every 20 minutes. This amusement park, while once the delight of both kids and adults until the early 90s, has been abandoned for more than two decades. Quite disappointing that we never went back, management was doing a terrible job. Its a wonderful feeling strolling the island, standing next to buildings where 10s of thousands of souls now long departed use to frequent. Boblo Island Amusement Park had its own custom version of bumper cars, known as Boblos Scootaboats. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. [Meta] Sticky Comment. The control room area through broken glass. One such an example is Boblo Island Amusement Park initially opened on Bois Blanc Island in Ontario in 1898. St. Clair Shores (1950-60s) & never went to the park. One step on the old dock, and I saw an old run-down white platform, no life, no care in worldlike everyone was evacuated and told not to come back. 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. 'Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale' is a new documentary, created by Aaron Shillinger, that tell the tale of Dr. Ron Kattoo, who is on a mission to restore the SS. I dont know about draft/depth info or dock fees, not being a boater, myself, and having instead taken the ferry from Amherstburg, Ontario. Part of the experience was the long boat ride to the island. Locate and compare 4423631-Canada-Inc in Colchester Country ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. In the ride's final incarnation, the train itself was a scale recreation of Central Pacific Railroad's 19 th century C.P. . mike smithson tutor perini; ford f 350 ignition switch replacement. Just read one of the many postcards you can find online from people back in the day. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. Claire provided . 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). There are two total bedrooms in this home. what a fun and exciting place. 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). How to live on Boblo Island: Over four decades, later, on July 30, 2011, I spent an afternoon on Bob-Lo. ), Thank you so much for the great information. My twin daughters, now 35, remember, but my son, 28, will never know. The railroad began operating on the island in 1956. The price is a little over $300k. This is the view now from the end of the tunnel. The place is oozing history. The 1991, the boats ceased their 81-year run, and the park closed in 1993. 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. If the boat looks familiar, it is not your imagination. 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. I agree with Maureen. Bleacher seating remains intact in the abandoned theater. The island is mainly a place where people can live in serenity. It is not fair that these people can just take away the little bit of history we have left just so they can watch their bank accounts rise. The company was busy during the week, moving people and goods up and down the river. All rights reserved (About Us). Is there a safe dock area, in which to leave our boat-(also Draft/depth) info .Is there a dock fee? People from all over Michigan, Canada and from as far away as California, have chosen to make Boblo Island their home. Kathleen Saylors. Built in the early 1900s, the SS Columbia and SS Ste. [1] Screamer, a double corkscrew; Nightmare, an indoor all-dark ride; and Sky Streak, a steel out-and-back design, were its three roller coasters. Today the community on this island is known as the Marina Resort Community. After 1796, British interests controlled the island and it was the staging point for the first local action in the War of 1812. One of those blockhouses remains, and is open for touring. These people had no clue whatsoever as to the history of Detroit, or of Bob-Lo. In 1973, the Thunder Bolt coaster was built, which drew long lines. It closed for good in 1993, 25 years ago. Or not. The steamers, the Ste. I know the kids and people of this generation are definitely looking forward to more developments. The dance pavilion built in 1913 was the largest in North America until 1925. Before I rode on it on the Island I had gone to a local fair and 3 other girls and I rode together on it and we laughed and really enjoyed it. washington county, maine death records 0. why did boblo island close. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Technically speaking, the island was a part of Canada (Bois Blanc Island, Ontario to be exact) but was just a short ferry ride up the Detroit River from the city of Detroit. Please dont judge us without knowing us! Unfortunately, my search came up empty. The Bobl-Lo Island of today? Why did Boblo Island close? 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. [24] The island was off limits to non-residents until 2002. By 1742, a French mission among the Hurons was established. The island was also an important stop on the Underground Railroad to Canada, which worked to help escaped slaves leave the country. How to rent hobbit-type MUSHROOM HOUSES in Northern Michigan, Haunting insides of the abandoned NORTHVILLE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, See Michigan's only ALPINE MOUNTAIN SLIDE, 1,700 feet of fun, Inside Michigan's OLDEST OPERATING INN built in 1835, This may be the MOST PICTURESQUE spot in Michigan, Inside the SMITHSONIAN OF MAGIC, located in Michigan, We explored WARREN DUNES, the Sleeping Bear of Southwest MI, GoPro video riding MICHIGAN'S LONGEST ZIPLINE, Exploring Michigan's abandoned, haunted ELOISE ASYLUM, Country's LARGEST AUTO MUSEUM is in the middle of nowhere, Michigan. The 106-year-old classic excursion steamer Ste. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. Ferry passengers could be going to the island to patronize the restaurant. Over the years it grew into a unique island amusement park, with a midway and dozens of rides. This is the inside of the 1,250 square foot tri-plex home. 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. For more excitement there was the Whip, Wild Mouse, Tilt-a-Whirl, and Dodgeem Cars. Well I would say as a resident (who by the way is not a mega millionaire), that we dont mind having company on the island and share it with those who want to come out. [30], The Falling Star, log flume, Enterprise, Sky Tower (Space Needle), Ferris wheel, a zoo, and a carousel were the signature attractions. These homes are 1,250 square feet on the sides, 1,625 in the middle.