To get to Bob-Lo Island in the 21st century, you take a ferry from Amherstburg, Ontario, instead of from the old dock on Jefferson Avenue in Detroit. 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. Boblo Island now boasts deluxe houses and condos, valued from $184,000 to $1.15 million, with walk-out basements and turreted views of the Detroit River. Riding the Rotor at Kennywood Park near Pittsburgh in 1955. The last day of "Oldies Week" is today (at least for now), and the response from the Woody Boater community was fantastic. The boat was taken to Toledo on Tuesday. Parts of that tower still stand. In 1991, those boats were sold and smaller ferries took people from Gibraltar, Mich., to the island, as well as Amherstburg. [26] KPMG found there was no money left to continue supplying basic services. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The people of Detroit, Michigan characterized it as that city's Coney Island. Very little remains, physically, of the amusement park attractions, but what we did find is fascinating, as you'll see in the link below. 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. Before July 30, 2011, my last visit to Bob-Lo had been in June of 1968. Anyone remember how much fun the dance floor was and how beautiful the boats were. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Mike! We dont save anything for history any more. This is private property and the doors are chain locked. I agree with Maureen. Potentially, it could become a wedding reception hall or hotel. 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. She was one of the first residents of Boblo Island. A tennis court sits next to a home on the island. A model of existing and future residential properties and harbor on Boblo Island at the Boblo Discovery Centre in Amherstburg, Ontario. The people of Detroit, Michigan, characterized it as the city's Coney Island. Did you work on both the SS Ste. The Ste. Is it an easy walk to the restaurant on the west side from the ferry dock? If you are adventurous and don't mind a difficult climb, you can make a reservation (months in advance) and enter the crown. To tell you the truth I remember the boat rides to the park more than the park itself. Part of the experience was the long boat ride to the island. Thank you again!! While incapacitated in hospital, he lost legal control of island. Peaking through the windows, you can see it's being used for storage. Ive always wondered about the island and have wanted to go back. On a summer day in 1945, Sarah Elizabeth Ray stood up for something because she wasn't allowed to sit down. Known as Boblo Amusement Park, it was wildly popular with American tourists throughout much of the 20th century until it closed in 1993. i need a boblo island abandoned amusement park date pic . You may have more than a few challenges now that people live there, but I wish you the best of luck! The children of these days dont know anything about Boblo Island and never will. [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). Colorful picnic tables near Captain Bob's Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin. 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. Bois Blanc has been part of Canada since 1787. We were participating in a totally sanctioned, transportation-provided-by-the-school-district Ninth-Grade Skip Day. We would have boarded either the Ste. I learned this and most of what I know about the history of Bob-Lo Island from 1670 2006 in the book Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island by Patrick Livingston (published in 2008 by the Wayne State University Press in Detroit as a part of their Great Lakes Books series): How does Bob-Lo Island appear today, Saturday, July 30, 2011? 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. Ray was there to celebrate her graduation from secretarial school with her classmates. [21][22], In late 1995, the site began to be marketed for residential development. From Queens, you can get there via the Roosevelt Island Bridgethis is the only way to walk or drive onto the island. Theme parks, like Lake Shawnee Park in West Virginia, closed down after guests died at the park. The north side of Boblo is a growing private community, with numerous homes and condominiums. Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. There are no hotels. What a wonderful goal, Andrew! 90-year old Captain Bob-Lo greets passengers - 1970s. [30], The Falling Star, log flume, Enterprise, Sky Tower (Space Needle), Ferris wheel, a zoo, and a carousel were the signature attractions. Its very sad because growing up that was all everyone talked about was Boblo Island, and all the amazing memories. 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. I just would like to see whats there and for my family to share it with me. For many in this part of Michigan, this boat resides in fond memories of trips to Boblo Island. The park closed in 1996 after several personal injury lawsuits were filed against it. The beautiful wood flooring should never have been ripped out. 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. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. The first amusement park rides were moving by 1910. 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. People can dock their private boats there, or take a four-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario. Why not this man who gave everyone joy in life with their families? Photojournalist Seph Lawless has taken pictures of 10 abandoned theme parks around the US. My husband is from This year, I hear theres an ice cream concession, Captain Bobs on the island (http://www.rivertowntimes.com/?s=Captain+bobs&submit). For more than 85 years, the Boblo Island Amusement Park was famous for being served by the Steamer Ste Claire and the Steamer Columbia excursion boats that could hold about 2,500 passengers each. From the top deck of the SS St. Claire, passengers watch the SS Columbia (built in 1902). It may be under different management than when I had a pretty tasty perch sandwich there, but you can find out more, including their hours at: http://www.boblo.ca/pages/living/restaurant.html, Thank you very much for info. British troops captured 60 of the attackers and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. For the people who bought property thereyou bought land that was so important to the neighboring cities and had brought so many families together. After 1796, British interests controlled the island and it was the staging point for the first local action in the War of 1812. 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. what a fun and exciting place. [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. The only access was via one of two ferries from Detroit or Amherstburg, the SS Ste. Well later that same summer (1972) I went with 2 of my brothers, one older and one younger with our Mother. The legend of Boblo is still strong in Detroit. Your email address will not be published. What remains of the boat after the fire is currently docked at Riverside Marina in Detroit. Your email address will not be published. There's a white sand beach, walking trails, water sports, a waterside restaurant, an ice cream parlor and an in-ground pool. The SS Ste. In 1949, bankruptcy threatened the island park. 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 Skip to content Menu Two twin villa homes on the north end of the island. Really sad. In June of 1999 Oram announced that he wished to recreate the amusement park on the mainland near Amherstburg, Ontario. By each step it became more clear that this was left for dead a long time ago. These steamers are the oldest passenger steamers in the United States of America, currently anchored at the Great Lakes Steel Dock in Ecorse, Michigan. The non-French residents called it Boblo, and the name was officially accepted in 1949. The far end of the island is now all luxury homes. The first thing I did when I got back home was to search for a Bob-Lo Historical Society on the Internet. Or not. Each boat could hold about 2,500 passengers. 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. [28] However, a local housing slump meant little was developed. The haunting pictures show graffiti, decrepit rides, and overgrown greenery. 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. And then came the Boblo Island Amusement Park with its famous Screamer, Nightmare, and Wild Mouse rides, its zoo, and carousel. Can you go over to the island any time? The island has quite an interesting history. I remember going to Boblo Island when I was a child, having fun riding rides; our children will never be able to do that. Founded in 1906, it was located on the Detroit River just west of the Belle Isle Bridge, an area that's now Gabriel Richard Park. The Boblo boats took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit River to Boblo Island Amusement Park. The tiny island is located in the middle of the East River, parallel to Manhattan's East 46th to 85th Streets. 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. Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company, From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Our world today, especially with the pandemic, needs what we all once had back in this society. It was just announced in The Windsor Star that the dance pavilion is now for sale. A woman leans against the fence in the foreground to take a picture of the ride. I wish that the people that bought this island could restore it. 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. Though many of the amusement park structures have been torn down, you might still hear a passing. Claire was engulfed in an accidental fire while docked on the Detroit River on July 6, 2018. We also traveled. They are located next to the Dance Hall. Boblo Island closed for essentially the same reasons as many other urban amusement parks closed. 525 55 shares Like Most relevant Ryan Hance How long ago did this place close and why did it close down? Residents of the small community live among acres and acres of nature, just steps from water. 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. The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. I dont know about draft/depth info or dock fees, not being a boater, myself, and having instead taken the ferry from Amherstburg, Ontario. Since 1989, Kevin has collected miniature amusement park rides, and built a loose replica of Boblo Island in his home. It's docked in New York. 2y Julie Enmei Bondy How I recall the fun times of going to Bob-Lo, with my sisters and brother. I worked on the Boats in 1980. His legacy died when the company came in and took over the park. We went alot and when my family''s jobs had company picnic it would always be Bob Lo. Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. In 1898, the Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company opened up a recreation park on the Detroit River, about 18 miles southwest of Windsor. The control room area through broken glass. The Boblo Island boat, S.S. Ste Claire, was destroyed on Friday morning after a massive fire on the ship. The island was situated between Detroit and Canada, but for a Michigander to visit, you had to cross the Canadian border.usually by one of the Boblo ferry boats. Look at Sugar Island.it once was a special place. Claire and the SS Columbia offered ferry services to all those wishing to travel to Boblo Island. . 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. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. 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). YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. This is a small area of the white sand beach open to residents of Boblo Island. Plus it was a place where the 400-pipe, 4-meter high, self-playing orchestra was housed. [2] They created a destination to keep themselves busy on the weekend. It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. DETROIT Say the name "Boblo" to anyone who grew up around Michigan, and their eyes will light up. One of the oldest structures on the island was vandalized in 1954, with vandals setting fire to the top of the 1837 lighthouse, destroying the upper structure. For visitors based in Detroit, it was about 30 kilometers away and could be reached by ferry. My birthday is coming up, maybe my family can take me to the island. 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. Livingstone writes that the white sand beach was created in 1957 when a vein of sand in the mouth of the river was dredged by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as they deepend the Amherstburg Channel to St. Lawrence Seaway standards, opening the Great Lakesto the world.. 1937 Technically, it was known as Eastwood Amusement Park, but nearly everyone called it Eastwood Park, or just Eastwood. Just read one of the many postcards you can find online from people back in the day. Once known as Bois Blanc Island, Boblo lies on the Detroit River on the Canadian side. About Boblo Island: Electric Park was the dream-come-true of Arthur C. Gaukler, a. Yongma Land Abandoned Theme Park. when was the last day of this park operated (i mean the last summur )when it was open for public for the last and until what day was the ferry or the steamer making trip, and can you visit it now. It's just a stone's throw from historic Amherstburg, Ontario, which is a 30-minute drive from Windsor. "For people who don't know, Boblo was an island amusement park that . Over four decades, later, on July 30, 2011, I spent an afternoon on Bob-Lo. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The park closed in 1993 as a result of poor management and attendance was shrinking because of other parks like Cedar Point. I would make sure my friends knew all the history of Bob-Lo. Claire, built in 1910. Both doors are were chain locked. 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. Would love to know more about your experience working on the Bob-Lo boats. 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