[14], The 1993 season proved bumpy and was marred by miscues including disputes with island residents and the Canadian Coast Guard, compounded by the leader of Enchanted Parks, Michael Moodenbaugh, being seriously injured and breaking his spine in a car accident in Toledo, Ohio, in September. It's docked in New York. 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. why did boblo island close. Many of the other rides are still entertaining guests at parks in Texas, Maryland, British Columbia, and Mexico. 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.. St. The Boblo Island Detroit dock building can be seen on the Detroit, Michigan side of the Detroit River. Thank you again for the information. The Whip was installed in 1920, which was a huge hit, essentially paying for itself. This is a small area of the white sand beach open to residents of Boblo Island. I dont think it is sad at all! 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. Few physical reminders remain from the amusement park, which closed in 1993, but the island has had a surprising resurgence - as a quiet but thriving residential community. The 1878 Mangels-Illions Carousels 44 horses, two goats, and two deer were sold for more than $1 million. [24] The island was off limits to non-residents until 2002. 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. The company was busy during the week, moving people and goods up and down the river. Ive been talking to friends who also loved Boblo and I am going to do further study. The Detroit river is very short - it merely connects Lake Huron with Lake Erie. If anyone has Meade Gougeon's cell number, seriously, call him. 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. The park's coasters and rides were sold following its closing in 1993, but there are intriguing remnants. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. Plants and overgrown grass fill the dirt paths near the Space Needle. Anyone remember how much fun the dance floor was and how beautiful the boats were. [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. Built in the early 1900s, the SS Columbia and SS Ste. (LogOut/ Having trotted out into the intersection, clearly not expecting anyone to be on the trail, the animal froze and then turned and shot back up the path, between thetall vegetation on each side, its hind legs trying to gain purchase on the crushed limestone. Change). Without Michael's approval the park was closed, the rides sold off, dismantled and shipped away. - Kathy G. We kids were able to run up and down the stairs on the boat and go to the dance floor. The Boblo Boats, then and now - The Detroit News This is the inside of the 1,250 square foot tri-plex home. The fire could not be contained and destroyed the historic mahogany woodwork and upper decks. 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). They transformed the island into an amusement park, including a coaster, Ferris wheel, fun house and more. [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. Boblo Island: Home To Ontario's Abandoned Amusement Park - TheTravel How to get to Boblo Island: 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. why did boblo island close - kreweofcarrollton.org Quite disappointing that we never went back, management was doing a terrible job. My husband is on the Grosse Ile Historical Society BoardI have pictures of Sugar Island in its heyday. It was one of the most popular places to dance in the 1920s. Bois Blanc has been part of Canada since 1787. Twin villa homes on the north end of the island. The park was closed for the 1933-1934 seasons due to the Great Depression. For First Time in 124 Yrs, There is No Such Place as Boblo Island why did boblo island close - ultimaterealestatecalculator.com Boblo's miniature railroad was perfect for those interested in something more leisurely than the island's rollercoaster. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. . why did boblo island close Menu fatal shooting in los angeles today. McLeans Mansion (Holly Lea): The historic building that was saved by the local community from demolition, The ruins of Richmond Castle: one of the oldest Norman fortresses in England. The ferry runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. My most vivid memory is the Sky Diver ride. "Yeah, she's 110 years old, but she's well-built and she survived," said boat co-owner, Ron Kattoo. After the short ferry ride, residents simply drive right onto the island onto Boblo Island Blvd. It was on a small island in the Detroit River at the mouth of Lake Erie. 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! what a fun and exciting place. Once built, the dance hall was the second largest in the world, able to accommodate no less than 5,000 dancers. The park has been closed since 1993 DETROIT - Say the name "Boblo" to anyone who grew up around Michigan, and their eyes will light up. 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. Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. Thank you again!! What a shame, all gone because some mega millionaires wanted more money. Potentially, it could become a wedding reception hall or hotel. By Edward Pevos of MLive - epevos@MLive.com. 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. The website is that of Bob-Lo Island Custom Home Builder, the developer of the Marina Resort Community, Boblos current rendition. It was the site of a conflict in 1838 during the Upper Canadian Rebellion, where 50 attackers were locked in one of the three blockhouses that had been built on the island. When did Boblo boat stop running? 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. Boblo Boats: A Detroit Fairy Tale A sign leads residents and visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island. 582 gold coast drive boblo island ontario windsor essex ontario mls 22015670 video tour available at https wwwdangemuscom listings welcome to the awesome lifestyle on bois blanc also known as boblo. [29], The tower for the Space Needle ride was demolished in 2021, with Amicone citing "health and safety concerns". http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny. An estimated 30,000 people passed through the island on their way to freedom. The rides were sold in 1994, but as we discovered via YouTube, a number of the park's structures still stand on the island. Neither will my grandchildren. 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. - Sally. [27] Dominic Amicone became the new owner in 2005. Boblo Island is accessible by a 16-car ferry that departs from the dock next to the Bob-Lo Island Discovery Centre, which is at 340 Dalhousie St., Amherstburg, ON. 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. Boblo was originally named Bois Blanc by the French, but residents couldn't pronounce the name. On the far side of the ride, people wait in line. I just kayaked to Boblo Island today, and I saw so much potential left in this land. steeped in history is open for business. Is there a safe dock area, in which to leave our boat-(also Draft/depth) info .Is there a dock fee? 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. He wore a variety of colorful clothing, including a large hat with 'Captain Bob Lo' on the peak, and was typically equipped with binoculars for navigation purposes. Look at Sugar Island.it once was a special place. You can just picture all of the kids having fun smashing into each other in their cars. These homes are 1,250 square feet on the sides, 1,625 in the middle. 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. 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. - Mellissa M. Sources: BobloSteamers.com, Water Winter Wonderland. Loved going to Bob-Lo as a kid. "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.". I grew up visiting the island and Im hoping to return to explore it again someday. - Bonnie, Oh! (From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina), BOBLO BOAT TOUR: Take a video tour of the historic boat that traveled the Detroit River for 81 years. Locate and compare 4423631-Canada-Inc in Colchester Country ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. Service d'ambulance in Mersea ON | YellowPages.ca See All Homes for Sale in Amherstburg. 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 existence of such an organization would certainly be complicated by the facts that 1) Bob-Lo is a Canadian island with an overbearing American past, and 2) today Bob-Lo primarily serves asa retreat for the wealthy, who I can imagine would not want people coming to visit the historical remains there,any more than they would want hunters (although if theyown a cat or a small dog, the latter might be welcome if they could take care of the coyote population). YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Rochester Hills mom testifies about 2 . 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. 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. I was born and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan. Smudged by the past, we nevertheless feel a redemptive twinge in the final aerial shot as Dr. Kattoo hoists the flag over Claire's mended hull. Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company, From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina. 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. 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. I can only imagine the dangers of the dilapidated buildings, to say nothing of concerns about strangers. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. Or not. http://boblo.ca/. 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. A lamp posts once used to illuminate the amusement park at night. Gone are the roller coasters, but there are plenty of. Claire, built in 1910. Filming of the movie began across Metro Detroit earlier this year. The kitchen and dining space of the tri-plex. By each step it became more clear that this was left for dead a long time ago. 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). He was 20 years older than me. 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. 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. 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. What were the names of the two Boblo boats? - AnswersAll A woman leans against the fence in the foreground to take a picture of the ride. Its sad that my kids will never be able to go there and ride the same rides I did as a kid. Hard to believe it was an big destination, it seems too small to support an amusement park. [5] The boats were sold off as a result of a decision to shutter operations at the Detroit dock. Boblo Island today: I was just in Amherstburg Sunday May 27,2013. I can forward them to you if you would like. The beautiful wood flooring should never have been ripped out. . It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. View TODAY's New Listings by beds, baths, lot size, listing status, days on market, & more! The place is oozing history. "We are at the point in restoration to where it was a steel skeleton structure ready to be rebuilt." Documentary on Boblo Island To Be Shown in West Michigan Theaters We toured the Ste Claire in 2015 while restoration efforts were ongoing before fire gutted it on July 6, 2018. Yes, Kathy, the Bob-Lo Island Beach House Restaurant is an easy walk. 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 Island - Adventures in the Villa Huntington. Boblo Island closed 25 years ago: Here's what it looks like now why did boblo island close. Colorful picnic tables near Captain Bob's Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin. It was in a time when the parents didn''t have to worry about the children. Claire and the SS Columbia offered ferry services to all those wishing to travel to Boblo Island. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. Departing from the foot of Woodward Avenue, whereHart Plazais now, theColumbiaandSte. The 1991, the boats ceased their 81-year run, and the park closed in 1993. The dance pavilion built in 1913 was the largest in North America until 1925. He's been with WDIV since 2013. The middle section of the island was developed as a park. Unclaimed. 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. On that trip, my companions on the Bob-Lo Excursion Line steamer were other ninth graders from Livonias Holmes Junior High. 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. The back of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford and built in 1913. For many people the best ride of the day was on the Bob-Lo Boat that took visitors to the 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. 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. 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. The native Wyandot called the island "Etiowiteendannenti.Both the Wyandot and French names refer to the white wood appearance lent by the birch and poplar trees that line the banks. 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. I can still feel the sun and the wind as one of the great boats took us to the Island. Find useful information, the address and the phone number of the local business you are looking for. The price is around $500k. In the beginning it was a picnic spot with beaches, athletic fields, bicycle tracks, and a stunning Mangels-Illions carousel. Today the community on this island is known as the Marina Resort Community. It's sister boat, the Columbia, was built in 1902. More waterfront dining. Restoration of the Ste Claire had been going on for a few years. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The bike rental shop was closed, but you can check your weight for free. The story of Boblo Island - WDIV Abandoned Boblo Island Amusement Park | FREAKTOGRAPHY