What a wonderful goal, Andrew! Ive been talking to friends who also loved Boblo and I am going to do further study. St. Clair Shores (1950-60s) & never went to the park. That is what the park was supposed to be about. 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. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. The park was closed for the 1933-1934 seasons due to the Great Depression. Enjoy I can only imagine the dangers of the dilapidated buildings, to say nothing of concerns about strangers. I know had I been related to this man, I would have kept his memory alive. (Check out more Boblo history at BobloSteamers.com), Alex Atwell put together an awesome tour of the Ste. Big changes for Sugar Island, good changes-it has made the drinking & partying boating groups unable to overtake the island.It was not safe. "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.". 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). what a fun and exciting place. 0 Comments Comments 2022-09-26. [4], IBC declared bankruptcy in 1991. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Its a shame that Boblo Island had to close. This is the observation area which would rise to the top. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. People can dock their private boats there, or take a four-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario. Boblo was originally named Bois Blanc by the French, but residents couldn't pronounce the name. It was on a small island in the Detroit River at the mouth of Lake Erie. Just read one of the many postcards you can find online from people back in the day. Update: A couple of them were partially restored and used during the filming ofTransformers 4. 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. Find useful information, the address and the phone number of the local business you are looking for. Claire and the SS Columbia offered ferry services to all those wishing to travel to Boblo Island. Once a landmark amusement park, Boblo Island is ready to essentially triple its current population through a new. Part of the experience was the long boat ride to the island. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. 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. "Yeah, she's 110 years old, but she's well-built and she survived," said boat co-owner, Ron Kattoo. wayne hills high school marching band; code postal ariana borj louzir; homes for sale on cary drive auburn, al What a shame, all gone because some mega millionaires wanted more money. (LogOut/ [1] The "Bob-Lo boats" boats were sold in November 1991. Locate and compare 4423631-Canada-Inc in Colchester Country ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. Share. Answer (1 of 2): I have barely recallable memories of POP. The dock is gone and the passageway is mostly surrounded by weeds and overgrown grass. And I stood and looked across the river, and what I remember is no longer there, and Im 54 years old . The island is now a residential community. Bois Blanc Island, French for White Woods Island, was named on account of its numerous white-barked birch and beech trees, and is today commonly known as Boblo Island, an English corruption of the original name. Newly restored in the Spring of 2013 by the residents of the community, they now offer Blockhouse tours on most Sundays from 1pm - 4pm. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Look at Sugar Island.it once was a special place. Plus it was a place where the 400-pipe, 4-meter high, self-playing orchestra was housed. These steamers are the oldest passenger steamers in the United States of America, currently anchored at the Great Lakes Steel Dock in Ecorse, Michigan. Sq.Ft. "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. [Meta] Sticky Comment. All rights reserved (About Us). Claire, seen in 2016. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. I found this very useful for Information! You can also see the large stage and the curtain with big holes in it. 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.. You do it for other people. Everyone has a memory to tell. Officially, Bob-Lo Island is now billed as a Marina Resort Community, but Bob-Lo currently exhibits the most profound split personality of any islandperhaps any placeIve ever been. 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. Peering through the broken glass, one can see water covering portions of the floor. 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? If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. We went alot and when my family''s jobs had company picnic it would always be Bob Lo. Of more concern than strangers arriving by ferry would be the boats that pull up and anchor around the island on summer days. Posted . Bois Blanc has been part of Canada since 1787. It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. The classic boats stopped running in 1991 and the amusement park was shuttered after the 1993 season. FOX 2 Detroit (WJBK) - 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. The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide - just 272 acres. There are just two ways in and out of the island. In 1973, the Thunder Bolt coaster was built, which drew long lines. Remember, the island is in Canada, so you can't just cross over from the U.S. and dock there. (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). Baths. Boats are docked in the Boblo Island Marina, located on the western shore of the island. The Columbia is undergoing restoration. The Boblo Island Detroit dock building can be seen on the Detroit, Michigan side of the Detroit River. Very little remains, physically, of the amusement park attractions, but what we did find is fascinating, as you'll see in the link below. The people of Detroit, Michigan, characterized it as the city's Coney Island. Edit: I hope it's just a tracker issue but it seemed to be working fine. [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. One of the three original blockhouses still stands on the southern end of the island. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. 2023 Detroit Historical Society. The dance pavilion built in 1913 was the largest in North America until 1925. Over the years, the crowds going to Bob-Lo on the boat would were increasingly loud and rude and some people avoided going to Bob-Lo to avoid the noise. The island was also an important stop on the Underground Railroad to Canada, which worked to help escaped slaves leave the country. Loved going to Bob-Lo as a kid. For visitors based in Detroit, it was about 30 kilometers away and could be reached by ferry. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. About Boblo Island: So sad. Opened in 1898, Boblo Island was one of North America's. The 1878 Mangels-Illions Carousels 44 horses, two goats, and two deer were sold for more than $1 million. I just would like to see whats there and for my family to share it with me. By Edward Pevos of MLive - epevos@MLive.com. Not fair to blame millionaires when often it is a corporation that can run out money after 5 or 6 bad years. [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. The man that made it did it to bring families together and spend time with their children. Both vessels are bound for Boblo Island. The juvenile coyote was gone in another blink of the eye. [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). The Columbia's ship keeper, Sam Buchanan, said the St. Clair has "a prominent role" in. They are located next to the Dance Hall. They transformed the island into an amusement park, including a coaster, Ferris wheel, fun house and more. The island is about 2.5 miles long, 0.5 mile wide and 272 acres in size. A retreat for the wealthy, amidst dilapidated remnants of history and ghosts of the past, with nature ever encroaching. The remnants of Boblo Island Amusement Park: '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. Only about a third of a milea 5 to 10-minute walk, depending on your speedfrom the ferry dock on the west side of the island, east on Bob-Lo Island Boulevard, to the marina on the other side of the narrow island. The Bobl-Lo Island of today? This is the living space inside one of the single family homes. 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. [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. You know what I think, I have never been over there. There were several trips from Detroit each day, but only two stops in Wyandotte. In 1993, after nearly 100 years in the business of entertainment, it was decided that the park was to be closed. 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. For more than a century, Bob-Lo Island had belonged to Ontario Province. The restaurants 2013 grand opening was May 24th. 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. 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 . This is the structure that once housed the Boblo Island Amusement Park bumper cars. They are 1,405 square feet with a full basement. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. Bois Blanc Island, commonly called Boblo Island, is an island in the Detroit River on the Canadian side of the border and is part of Amherstburg Windsor Mayor Arthur John Reaume wanted the island to be designated a National Park. All Rights Reserved. These are the remains of some of the washrooms. The British also built a lighthouse in 1836 which operated until 1959. 6 reviews #1 of 2 Restaurants in Pointe Aux Pins American Pub. By their very nature, amusement parks are places of fun, relaxation, excitement, and recreation. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. 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. People should not be making assumptions about the island residents. You can still see the words "Boblo Island" on the Space Needle, 25 years after the park's closing. 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. Many of the other rides are still entertaining guests at parks in Texas, Maryland, British Columbia, and Mexico. Im glad you made this comment. [32], Boblo's Scootaboats, which were very similar to well known Bumper Cars, were a popular ride. I would bring back the lost souls and add life to the island again. The back of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford and built in 1913. Check out recent photos from one of the Boblo boats. In a sentence, I think, the world around POP changed. why did boblo island close. The last summer that Bob-Lo operated as an amusement park was almost two decades ago: 1993. Would love to know more about your experience working on the Bob-Lo boats. 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. Claire, built in 1910. I agree; it would be wonderful if the park could be restored or perhaps, reinvented to serve in a new way of bringing community together! ), Thank you so much for the great information. It closed for good in 1993, 25 years ago. mike smithson tutor perini; ford f 350 ignition switch replacement. This is now the only ferry which goes to and from Boblo Island. 3 F 1 1/2. Bob-Lo Park (Sometimes seen as Boblo) was established as an entertainment destination in 1898 by the Detroit,Belle Isleand Windsor Ferry Company. A woman leans against the fence in the foreground to take a picture of the ride. British troops captured 60 people and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. The cars operated by drawing power from an overhead electric grid unlike the Bumper Boats in use today. Interestingly, the islands history starts long before the amusement park was even planned. [30], The Falling Star, log flume, Enterprise, Sky Tower (Space Needle), Ferris wheel, a zoo, and a carousel were the signature attractions. The ships ferried people to the Boblo Island amusement park on the Detroit River for 89 years until they ceased operation in 1991. As well as some great stories, it includes some good photographs from all of the islands incarnations! The place is oozing history. Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. 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. Barb's Boblo Tavern. Millions of Americans and Canadians share memories of riding the Swan Boats or the train that circled the park. Though not all is lost. It was just announced in The Windsor Star that the dance pavilion is now for sale. He was 20 years older than me. The railroad began operating on the island in 1956. The goal of developers is to someday populate the entire island with neighborhoods. One of these survived to become a souvenir stand for the amusement park. Anyone can go on the island via the ferry for a fee of $10 round-trip, but Boblo isn't a typical tourist destination. This thrilling park closed its doors for good in 1981, but not before providing visitors with decades of fun. The beautiful wood flooring should never have been ripped out. Ex-MSU dean sues interim president for leading alleged plot to remove him. The 16mm film is from around 1960. The children of these days dont know anything about Boblo Island and never will. - Bonnie, Oh! For many people the best ride of the day was on the Bob-Lo Boat that took visitors to the island. Boblo Island, originally names Bois Blanc (White Woods in French) opened as a Park in 1898. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Ferry passengers could be going to the island to patronize the restaurant. Here's what we saw as we recently explored the amusement park area. The last day of "Oldies Week" is today (at least for now), and the response from the Woody Boater community was fantastic. All rights reserved (About Us). Claire or the Columbia, but no cellphone cameras documented that embarkation and carrying a Kodak Instamatic simply would not have been cool. My twin daughters, now 35, remember, but my son, 28, will never know. As a child I went to Bob-Lo Island every summer from the Detroit Side of the island. http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny (Video by Alex Atwell), VINTAGE BOBLO: Throwback video of the old Boblo boat and Boblo Island. When was the last time yousailed down the Detroit River toBob-Lo Island, to summertime? The old Dance Hall sits majestically abandoned on the center of the island. The name of the island was changed to Boblo in 1929 when visitors had problems correctly pronouncing the original French name. 90-year old Captain Bob-Lo greets passengers - 1970s. why did boblo island close; william monroe high school why did boblo island close. Claire provided . The swan paddle boat ride was added in 1970, which became a fan favorite. 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. Clair and the SS Columbia. A miniature railroad was built around the island in the 60s, along with a upgraded dock area. [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. 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. The kitchen and dining space of the tri-plex. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. 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. "[2] The Michigan Supreme Court fined the company $25 for the discrimination they presented towards Ray. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you . 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. Locate and compare Service d'ambulance in Mersea ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company, From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina. In the distance is a building featuring dozens of condos. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. St. 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. . Most people just drive their vehicles onto the ferry from Amherstburg and are home in a few minutes. After 1796, British interests controlled the island and it was the staging point for the first local action in the War of 1812. [29], The tower for the Space Needle ride was demolished in 2021, with Amicone citing "health and safety concerns". How I recall the fun times of going to Bob-Lo, with my sisters and brother. They created a destination to keep themselves busy on the weekend. I mean Harbour House is nice, but would be nice to have a better view of the water (other than the marina) where you can watch the big ships go by. Filming of the movie began across Metro Detroit earlier this year. Not a single lot was sold between 9/11 and May 2004. A sign leads residents and visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island. The ferry is run for the island residents, their guests, and prospective buyers of lots in the Triamico Development Affiliates marina resort community. However, there is a public restaurant, the Bob-Lo Island Beach House, on the west side of the island by the marina (ferry docks at the east side). On that trip, my companions on the Bob-Lo Excursion Line steamer were other ninth graders from Livonias Holmes Junior High. 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. I can still feel the sun and the wind as one of the great boats took us to the Island. Boblo Island is preparing to greet more than 200 new residents with construction soon to begin and new roads in the south end of the island recently completed . It runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at a fee of $10 each way. It's just a stone's throw from historic Amherstburg, Ontario, which is a 30-minute drive from Windsor. In fact, one of those . 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. 11 Properties from $2,300. And a Fairyland park on the ocean in OR, etc. The bike rental shop was closed, but you can check your weight for free. 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. By each step it became more clear that this was left for dead a long time ago. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Many of you remember taking the journey to the top for a breathtaking view of the park. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. I am so sad every time I think about Bob Lo. In the beginning it was a picnic spot with beaches, athletic fields, bicycle tracks, and a stunning Mangels-Illions carousel. [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. I agree, Jennifer, very sad. Restoration of the Ste Claire had been going on for a few years. A powerhouse that supplied electricity to the nearby Carousel which is no longer there. Boblo Island closed for essentially the same reasons as many other urban amusement parks closed. View TODAY's New Listings by beds, baths, lot size, listing status, days on market, & more! Visitors could travel between rides and attractions using a mini railroad. 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. A lamp posts once used to illuminate the amusement park at night. 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. It's sister boat, the Columbia, was built in 1902. It's docked in New York. The 106-year-old classic excursion steamer Ste. 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. After coming aboard, visitors could look down from the main deck into the engine room, where powerful shafts and cams slowly warmed up. 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. I can forward them to you if you would like. If anyone has Meade Gougeon's cell number, seriously, call him. . A tri-plex home. The rides were sold to other amusement parks around the country. DETROIT Say the name "Boblo" to anyone who grew up around Michigan, and their eyes will light up. A shack which held dynamite used for dredging the near-by channel was fired into by a group of boys out hunting or fishing. The first thing I did when I got back home was to search for a Bob-Lo Historical Society on the Internet. Purchasing a home on Boblo Island? Places like fort custer, MI and fort sheridan, illinois, all sold to profiteers. (LogOut/ Boblo's trains made a 20-minute circuit around about 2 miles of track . 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. This photo shows people boarding the SS St. Claire (built in 1910) bound for Boblo Island. Review. The company had just been sold to a group from Texas who ran a small park. This house is 2,040 square feet with a full basement. Photo courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society. Boblo Island was an amusement park that was at one time larger than Cedar Point. The operations ended in 1993. An island in Amherstburg, Ont. The rides were sold in 1994, but as we discovered via YouTube, a number of the park's structures still stand on the island. Colorful picnic tables near Captain Bob's Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin. The children of this time will never get to enjoy what we did when we were children. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. how much was bitcoin in 2010. pets4homes boost advert 9, Juin, 2022. smugglers inn steak soup recipe; To rebuild would be one of lifes pleasures. Or for the Lavatory building next to it, built to match the other stone buildings on the island. Boblo Island looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers 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. Our world today, especially with the pandemic, needs what we all once had back in this society. Over four decades, later, on July 30, 2011, I spent an afternoon on Bob-Lo. (LogOut/ For the people who bought property thereyou bought land that was so important to the neighboring cities and had brought so many families together. [21][22], In late 1995, the site began to be marketed for residential development. The first amusement park rides were moving by 1910.