British troops captured 60 people and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. One of the three original blockhouses still stands on the southern end of the island. Abandoned Boblo Island Amusement Park is a former amusement park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. I recently visited the island to see that the old Theatre still stands. Most of the homes on the island also come with a large amount of property. His legacy died when the company came in and took over the park. Its very sad because growing up that was all everyone talked about was Boblo Island, and all the amazing memories. This is actually only about half of the full-size basement which has been fitted with windows and electricity for add-on bedrooms. One such an example is Boblo Island Amusement Park initially opened on Bois Blanc Island in Ontario in 1898. At about 34-square miles, the island is 12 miles long and six miles long. The back of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford and built in 1913. It was finally decided in 1949 to officially re-name the island and the park Bob-Lo, in a matter of simplification (today it is still referred to by both names on maps of the area). Its too bad they couldnt have it ready for this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary. The folks from the residential areas use golf carts toget to the community pool in the center of the island, just a stones throw from the almost hundred-year-old, still standing Dance Pavilion: And here is where things get interesting. Captain Bob's Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin is located on the western shore of Boblo Island, and is open for residents and visitors from Thursday through Sunday. This amusement park, while once the delight of both kids and adults until the early 90s, has been abandoned for more than two decades. We toured the Ste Claire in 2015 while restoration efforts were ongoing before fire gutted it on July 6, 2018. These are the remains of some of the washrooms. 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. Today, 24 years after the park was closed and 118 years after its grand opening, little remains as a reminder of the islands history. Of more concern than strangers arriving by ferry would be the boats that pull up and anchor around the island on summer days. Visitors could travel between rides and attractions using a mini railroad. It is so cool to see the old dock piers and the beach is sand. One of these survived to become a souvenir stand for the amusement park. Finally, A young entrepreneur who successfully turned around a floundering amusement park in suburban Seattle bought Bob-Lo hoping to turn it around. The ship, docked at Riverside Marina on the Detroit River, caught fire after 11 a.m. on . From the top deck of the SS St. Claire, passengers watch the SS Columbia (built in 1902). 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. More than a century later, in the 1920s, the amusement park opened on the sitethen closed in 1966 after the accidental deaths of two young patrons, including one on the spooky circular swing. Residents of the small community live among acres and acres of nature, just steps from water. [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. 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. Boblo Island was an amusement park that was open for nearly 100 years. We are restoring one of Detroit's most iconic steamships, the Ste. About Boblo Island Amusement Park: By their very nature, amusement parks are places of fun, relaxation, excitement, and recreation. Private cottages and government property remained at the north and south ends of the island. In fact didn''t go as much as I would of liked to. To rebuild would be one of lifes pleasures. 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. This is the observation area which would rise to the top. - Kathy G. We kids were able to run up and down the stairs on the boat and go to the dance floor. Bois Blanc Island was where Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, a Native American warrior, decided to place his headquarters during the War of 1812. The north side of Boblo is a growing private community, with numerous homes and condominiums. "It's not the exact layout of Boblo Island," Kevin says in the documentary. For many people the best ride of the day was on the Bob-Lo Boat that took visitors to the island. I was 7 years old when the ferries stopped running in 1991. We also traveled. Now surrounded by tall grass and weeds, the park's historic entertainment theater remains near the center of the island. 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. The earliest historical reference, from 1718, describes 70 Native American families peacefully farming the fertile land. Potentially, it could become a wedding reception hall or hotel. If you are adventurous and don't mind a difficult climb, you can make a reservation (months in advance) and enter the crown. Newly restored in the Spring of 2013 by the residents of the community, they now offer Blockhouse tours on most Sundays from 1pm - 4pm. Many of you remember taking the journey to the top for a breathtaking view of the park. 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. A tri-plex home. The Ste. That was in 1993. [32], Boblo's Scootaboats, which were very similar to well known Bumper Cars, were a popular ride. An estimated 30,000 people passed through the island on their way to freedom. 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 subdivision consists of a loop of a street containing a court within the loop. Quite disappointing that we never went back, management was doing a terrible job. Bois Blanc Island (Ontario) Who owns Boblo Island? On that trip, my companions on the Bob-Lo Excursion Line steamer were other ninth graders from Livonias Holmes Junior High. How to get to toronto island park? There are just two ways in and out of the island. What a wonderful goal, Andrew! It's docked in New York. Anyone remember how much fun the dance floor was and how beautiful the boats were. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. - Mellissa M. Sources: BobloSteamers.com, Water Winter Wonderland. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. Located at the mouth of the Detroit River, which . People should not be making assumptions about the island residents. It broke my heart to see the way everything looks these days. Wild grapevine has made it to the second floor balcony of the gallery. You can take a tour of the model homes on Boblo Island on Saturdays and Sundays with an island specialist by calling 519-736-1111. The tiny island is located in the middle of the East River, parallel to Manhattan's East 46th to 85th Streets. I just would like to see whats there and for my family to share it with me. The only other way to get to the island is to dock a private boat. The island features many new homes and plenty of land to build on. You can explore and find the foundations of the dance floor ruins. A new film tells us. 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. In June of 1999 Oram announced that he wished to recreate the amusement park on the mainland near Amherstburg, Ontario. Most people just drive their vehicles onto the ferry from Amherstburg and are home in a few minutes. My twin daughters, now 35, remember, but my son, 28, will never know. 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. One of those blockhouses remains, and is open for touring. In 1973, the Thunder Bolt coaster was built, which drew long lines. The little that remains of the park is covered with vegetation or has been demolished. From 1898 to 1993, the park was a summer staple for Detroit families. The best time was 8 hours and 42 minutes turned in by 17-year old Dorothy de Caussin and 15-year old Ida Mutnick, both of Detroit. Bois Blanc is known regionally as the former home of the Boblo Island Amusement Park, which began operation in 1898 and closed on September 30, 1993. The website is that of Bob-Lo Island Custom Home Builder, the developer of the Marina Resort Community, Boblos current rendition. 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. Im glad you made this comment. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this site. Soon after this, the British obtained the surrender of the American fort in Detroit without a shot being fired. 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. Two years later, very little had been done.[34]. These people had no clue whatsoever as to the history of Detroit, or of Bob-Lo. The scion of one of Seattle's wealthiest and most philanthropic families, Benaroya was bankrolling Moodenbaugh's dream to resurrect the Boblo Island Amusement Park near Detroit. For visitors based in Detroit, it was about 30 kilometers away and could be reached by ferry. I dont think it is sad at all! 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. DETROITAny Michigander of a certain vintage won't forget their giddiness en route to Boblo Island amusement park, a carefree ferry ride from Detroit's metropolis to a land that seemed a world away. Between my concerns for the submerged rocks of the river and the mortar of history I was climbing over, I thought, what a wonderful place this island would be to explore if you were a kid or teenager and what a nightmare it poses for parents or grandparents of those explorers! 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. Claire was engulfed in an accidental fire while docked on the Detroit River on July 6, 2018. Claire or the Columbia, but no cellphone cameras documented that embarkation and carrying a Kodak Instamatic simply would not have been cool. The SS Ste. [26] KPMG found there was no money left to continue supplying basic services. Though not all is lost. To tell you the truth I remember the boat rides to the park more than the park itself. Gloomy days sometimes deserve black and white treatment. [19] He vaguely proposed a casino, hotel, and other development. In the distance is a building featuring dozens of condos. If I had mega-millions I would invest in restoration of the island and the amusement park. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. Each held about 2,500 passengers. 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. "I have all the amenities of city life that I need within walking distance in Amherstburg, and all the amazing amenities the island life brings me.". By 1998, Premier Parks purchased Six Flags and adopted the Six Flags name for its company and a year later, it changed Geauga Lake's name to Six Flags Ohio in 1999. Action Park in New Jersey is known as the most dangerous amusement park in the country, six people passed away from 1980 to 1987. Places like fort custer, MI and fort sheridan, illinois, all sold to profiteers. Since 1989, Kevin has collected miniature amusement park rides, and built a loose replica of Boblo Island in his home. Pinterest. The juvenile coyote was gone in another blink of the eye. The sociology of unemployment - Tom Boland 2015-07-01 The sociology of unemployment is an analysis of the experience and governance of unemployment. Which theme park has the most deaths? Some recent activity indicates this one might be saved. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. On the far side of the ride, people wait in line. My favorite ride was the Log Ride, I thought it was the greatest thing of all time. Claire, which used to take passengers to Boblo Island, sits on the Detroit River in August 2015. It was set on Ontario's picturesque Bois Blanc Island (frequently known as "Boblo Island") and featured everything you could want in a theme park. Thank you again for the information. Hoffmeister and Friese had an agreement that established . It was just announced in The Windsor Star that the dance pavilion is now for sale. The British also built a lighthouse in 1836 which operated until 1959. The cars operated by drawing power from an overhead electric grid unlike the Bumper Boats in use today. 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). How I recall the fun times of going to Bob-Lo, with my sisters and brother. [30], The Falling Star, log flume, Enterprise, Sky Tower (Space Needle), Ferris wheel, a zoo, and a carousel were the signature attractions. Claire and the SS Columbia? YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Each historical society serves as a bead on a rosary linking current and future generations to the past, acts as a tool to support prayers of keeping the memories alive, keeps a link to the human roots of a distinctive place that has meant many things to many people over the years. We dont save anything for history any more. The definitive history of Bob-lo Island, a Canadian amusement park in the mouth of the Detroit River and a favorite recreation spot for generations of Detroit-area residents. It was great to see all the vintage photos and stories from the good old days of classic boating when wooden boats were the norm, not the exception. When you disembark from the ferry, youfindyourself adjacent to a private very well-to-do residential area. 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. 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.. This photo shows people boarding the SS St. Claire (built in 1910) bound for Boblo Island. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. 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. The people of Detroit, Michigan characterized it as that city's Coney Island. 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. 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. Only one blockhouse remains today. Even the words scrawled across its portal announced simply "Eastwood Park.". How to get to Boblo Island: The park was sold but never got up and running again so all the rides and boats were sold. 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. Once built, the dance hall was the second largest in the world, able to accommodate no less than 5,000 dancers. The passageway still exists showing Gilbraltar, Michigan to the left and Amherstburg, Ontario to the right. Millions of Americans and Canadians share memories of riding the Swan Boats or the train that circled the park. [25], American investors were scared away after the September 11 attacks, which hurt the financial outlook for the development. And I stood and looked across the river, and what I remember is no longer there, and Im 54 years old . The goal of developers is to someday populate the entire island with neighborhoods. When Ste. Once the island closed, the boats sat abandoned for years. 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