Favorite Boblo Island Rides | Detroit Historical Society Historic Boblo boats land role in Transformers 4 | CBC News All rights reserved (About Us). A sign leads residents and visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island. Boblo was originally named Bois Blanc by the French, but residents couldn't pronounce the name. Cedar Point, which has world-famous roller coasters and a wider range of attractions, is close enough to the Detroit area for a day trip (for the very hardy). (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). See All Homes for Sale in Amherstburg. Save. The park has been closed since 1993, but the legend of Boblo is still strong. [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. Boats are docked in the Boblo Island Marina, located on the western shore of the island. what occupation did the boblo boat workers have What a shame, all gone because some mega millionaires wanted more money. 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). An island in Amherstburg, Ont. Locate and compare 4423631-Canada-Inc in Colchester Country ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. I do hope that someone will come along and restore the park back to its prime, so we can get families and the community back together again, and we can share our memories with the generations to come. Most people just drive their vehicles onto the ferry from Amherstburg and are home in a few minutes. 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. Twin villa homes on the north end of the island. The SS Ste. I was born and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan. The Last Day Of "Oldies Week" - We Dedicate Today's Story To Russell A The amusement park was so famous in its day that Henry Ford himself provided money for a Dance Hall to be built, designed by the architect John Scott. Of more concern than strangers arriving by ferry would be the boats that pull up and anchor around the island on summer days. The Boblo boats took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit river to Boblo Island Amusement Park. The island was also an important stop on the Underground Railroad to Canada, which worked to help escaped slaves leave the country. I vaguely remember going to Boblo Island Amusement Park as a kid and recently found myself wondering what happened to the place. The railroad began operating on the island in 1956. Interestingly, the islands history starts long before the amusement park was even planned. 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. Once known as Bois Blanc Island, Boblo lies on the Detroit River on the Canadian side. When did Boblo boat stop running? . 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. Bring a bike or plan to hike as the only streets to accommodate cars are in the development. 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. [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. Claire, seen in 2016. The ship, docked at Riverside Marina on the Detroit River, caught fire after 11 a.m. on. You can also visit Boblo.ca. About Boblo Island: I worked on the Boats in 1980. This is the structure that once housed the Boblo Island Amusement Park bumper cars. Claireoffered their own form of entertainment. Boblo Island Amusement Park: closed after nearly 100 years This amusement park, while once the delight of both kids and adults until the early 90s, has been abandoned for more than two decades. On the far side of the ride, people wait in line. The Detroit river is very short - it merely connects Lake Huron with Lake Erie. I remember the log ride, where we''d all get wet but would soon dry out running about, the carousel, and of course the roller coaster. A woman leans against the fence in the foreground to take a picture of the ride. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. Today, 24 years after the park was closed and 118 years after its grand opening, little remains as a reminder of the islands history. Boblo Island: Home To Ontario's Abandoned Amusement Park - TheTravel Bayview Mackinac Thread | Page 7 | Sailing Anarchy Forums [16] Moodenbaugh later sued Benaroya and others for attempting to sell the park while he lay in a "virtual coma". 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. The Carousel Building, built in 1905 to house the first amusement ride on Bob-Lo Island, served as a convention hall and later, the roller-skating rink (beginning with the 1940 season) before ending up as a theater. Unclaimed. [15] Moodenbaugh had hired Liberal MPP Remo Mancini to help market the park. I know had I been related to this man, I would have kept his memory alive. One island. [1] The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the Detroit River. Rochester Hills mom testifies about 2 . The legend of Boblo is still strong in Detroit. The non-French residents called it Boblo, and the name was officially accepted in 1949. It runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at a fee of $10 each way. The dance pavilion built in 1913 was the largest in North America until 1925. Abandoned Boblo Island Amusement Park | FREAKTOGRAPHY Although the name will seem new to most of us, it's actually the original historic name of the island that was home to the historic . The island features many new homes and plenty of land to build on. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. New film floats old memories | wgrz.com Our world today, especially with the pandemic, needs what we all once had back in this society. mopar 727 transmission casting numbers. An estimated 30,000 people passed through the island on their way to freedom. 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.. Bob-Lo was such a fun place and figures so prominently in many peoples childhood summertime memories! The men's entrance is to the left. Bois Blanc Island, Pointe Aux Pins, MI 49775 +1 231-634-7100 + Add website + Add hours. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. More waterfront dining. British troops captured 60 of the attackers and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. The passageway still exists showing Gilbraltar, Michigan to the left and Amherstburg, Ontario to the right. One such an example is Boblo Island Amusement Park initially opened on Bois Blanc Island in Ontario in 1898. The company was busy during the week, moving people and goods up and down the river. The island is now a residential community. We visited Boblo Island 23 years after its amusement park closed - mlive Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale YouTube Channel The park closed in 1993 as a result of poor management and attendance was shrinking because of other parks like Cedar Point. why did boblo island close - kkdhandapaniworldschool.org 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. Although Boblo Island Beach House is pretty good. Boblo Island was an amusement park that was at one time larger than Cedar Point. Hard to believe it was an big destination, it seems too small to support an amusement park. Claire, built in 1910. It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. It's docked in New York. caliyah mcnabb photos; singapore new first class; grilled chicken with marinated tomatoes and onions; common entry level jobs for aerospace engineering; sims 4 reshade presets 2021; why did boblo island close. Although there was a bike rental business near the marina and Beach House Restaurant on the west side of the island (the ferry dock is on the east side of the island), it was not open for business on the beautiful summer weekend day I was there, so I wouldnt count on being able to rent a bike on the island. About Boblo Island Amusement Park: Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. 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. 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. - Mellissa M. Sources: BobloSteamers.com, Water Winter Wonderland. The bike rental shop was closed, but you can check your weight for free. In fact, one of those . In the distance is a building featuring dozens of condos. What happened to the Boblo boats? (2023) - ptylli.best 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 only access was via one of two ferries from Detroit or Amherstburg, the SS Ste. 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. 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. why did boblo island close. I enjoyed BobLo so much as a child-we boarded the boats in Wyandotte. And a Fairyland park on the ocean in OR, etc. Bois Blanc has been part of Canada since 1787. Well later that same summer (1972) I went with 2 of my brothers, one older and one younger with our Mother. 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. In 1973, the Thunder Bolt coaster was built, which drew long lines. 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. The SS Ste. Over the roughly two-and-a-half decades that have passed since the closure, many of the most telltale signs of the park have faded away, including the ultra spooky-looking ferry boats that used to. St. Clair Shores (1950-60s) & never went to the park. I wish that the people that bought this island could restore it. Claire and the SS Columbia? 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. Yes, Kathy, the Bob-Lo Island Beach House Restaurant is an easy walk. [29], The tower for the Space Needle ride was demolished in 2021, with Amicone citing "health and safety concerns". Enjoy The ferrys were known as "Bob-Lo Boats" and held about 2,500 passengers each. The Boblo Island boat, S.S. Ste Claire, was destroyed on Friday morning after a massive fire on the ship. . Bob-Lo Park (Sometimes seen as Boblo) was established as an entertainment destination in 1898 by the Detroit,Belle Isleand Windsor Ferry Company. The first amusement park rides were moving by 1910. In the years leading up to its closure, many of the rides were sold to satisfy debts. This year, I hear theres an ice cream concession, Captain Bobs on the island (http://www.rivertowntimes.com/?s=Captain+bobs&submit). There are just two ways in and out of the island. why did boblo island close bridge deck construction [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. [2], The State of Michigan brought a racial discrimination case against the operators of the ferry service. The Boblo boat took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit river to Boblo Island Amusement Park. 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. The ferry runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Second case of COVID-19 confirmed in Windsor-Essex City of Windsor declares state of emergency, Devonshire and Tecumseh malls to close Boblo Island residential development plan moving forward. Quite disappointing that we never went back, management was doing a terrible job. Update: A couple of them were partially restored and used during the filming ofTransformers 4. 4423631-Canada-Inc in Colchester Country ON | YellowPages.ca Boblo Island was very special. What are some facilities/amenities/services/establishments you wish 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. Each year the largest gathering was sponsored by the St. Andrews Society of Detroit, which would often draw more than 10,000 visitors to their Scottish Games. Its too bad they couldnt have it ready for this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary. The north side of Boblo is a growing private community, with numerous homes and condominiums. A lamp posts once used to illuminate the amusement park at night. 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. Boblo's trains made a 20-minute circuit around about 2 miles of track . 1960 - A Day Trip to Boblo Island Amusement Park - YouTube I would make sure my friends knew all the history of Bob-Lo. The man that made it did it to bring families together and spend time with their children. Now surrounded by tall grass and weeds, the park's historic entertainment theater remains near the center of the island. A street sign shows people where they are as they arrive on the island. why did boblo island amusement park close - kaorufp.com 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 rides were sold in 1994, but as we discovered via YouTube, a number of the park's structures still stand on the island. - Marva, I am 63 years old and I remember Bob-lo so well. 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 ferry leaves every 20 minutes from a dock next to the Bob-Lo Discovery Centre. The ride takes about 5 or 10 minutes, instead of the hour it used to take whenone departedon the other side of the border. 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. Boblo Island Homes For Sale Amherstburg - Boblo Island Real Estate Boblo Island opened in 1898. Would love to know more about your experience working on the Bob-Lo boats. Boblo Island Amusement Park ran from 1898 to 1993. Michelle, I interpret Roys use of the phrase mega-millionaires as being in service of describing the island developers, not the residents. 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. 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. Anyone remember how much fun the dance floor was and how beautiful the boats were. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. The first thing I did when I got back home was to search for a Bob-Lo Historical Society on the Internet. why did boblo island close. CEC: Closed Canadian Parks - Boblo Island Park - Chebucto Though not all is lost. Claire and the Columbia, as well as their Detroit docks, had been divested a few years earlier in 1991. Check out recent photos from one of the Boblo boats. Boblo Island memories never fade - The News Herald 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). It was on a small island in the Detroit River at the mouth of Lake Erie. The park was closed for the 1933-1934 seasons due to the Great Depression. The earliest historical reference, from 1718, describes 70 Native American families peacefully farming the fertile land. - LJ. I found this very useful for Information! The name 'Boblo' came back recently after a massive fire destroyed an iconic ferry that used to take people to and from the now closed island amusement park. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide - just 272 acres. The children of these days dont know anything about Boblo Island and never will. Barb's Boblo Tavern. 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. why did boblo island close - acesso.plataformadecursos.org The ship in mid-swing. Embark on a CRUISE FROM DETROIT for the first time in decades, Stay the night at this ghostly-looking MICHIGAN CASTLE, SECRET VINTAGE COKE MUSEUM inside a Michigan 50's diner. Everyone has a memory to tell. Neither will my grandchildren. [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. Boblo (or Bob-Lo) sparks memories for many adults who. We also traveled from past to the present on the island, which was a must-visit destination for families for decades. Soon after this, the British obtained the surrender of the American fort in Detroit without a shot being fired. During the 1920s and 1930s, swimming contests were held that went fromBelle Isleto Bob-Lo, covering 24 miles. why did boblo island close - academiacardiovascular.com Kathi. Boblo Boats Documentary Hitting Select Theatres in Detroit This Fall [VIDEO], Metallicas 72 Seasons Global Premiere Where You Can Watch in Michigan, Detroit Chef Named Chopped Champ Donates $10K Prize, Tri-County Ninja & Collectibles in Fenton Approved for Liquor License, Compete in Cedar Point Trivia from the Comfort of Your Michigan Home, Michigan Has Enforced the Death Penalty a Remarkably Low Number of Times, Celebrate 21 Years Of The Machine Shop In March, 13 Suggestions to Fill Flints Empty Sears in Genesee Valley Mall. Courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society, Photographer Joe Clark. The company had just been sold to a group from Texas who ran a small park. . In my days they were very comparable although I think Cedar Point was a little larger.