Claire, seen in 2016. BOBLO ISLAND AMUSEMENT PARK entertained people from both Canada and USA for 96 YEARS ! That is what the park was supposed to be about. 525 55 shares Like Most relevant Ryan Hance How long ago did this place close and why did it close down? Only one blockhouse remains today. How to get to Boblo Island: Watch. -Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park 1898-1993 Thanks . Plus it was a place where the 400-pipe, 4-meter high, self-playing orchestra was housed. The man that made it did it to bring families together and spend time with their children. 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. In 1949, bankruptcy threatened the island park. Which theme park has the most deaths? Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 10. A model of existing and future residential properties and harbor on Boblo Island at the Boblo Discovery Centre in Amherstburg, Ontario. The last day of "Oldies Week" is today (at least for now), and the response from the Woody Boater community was fantastic. There were several trips from Detroit each day, but only two stops in Wyandotte. The Boblo boats took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit River to Boblo Island Amusement Park. The homes come with all appliances. The old Dance Hall sits majestically abandoned on the center of the island. The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. This is the remnants of an old putt-putt golf course. [15] Moodenbaugh had hired Liberal MPP Remo Mancini to help market the park. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. 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. The sociology of unemployment - Tom Boland 2015-07-01 The sociology of unemployment is an analysis of the experience and governance of unemployment. The steamers, the Ste. Flags at the Amherstburg Dock. Potentially, it could become a wedding reception hall or hotel. 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. 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. There are two total bedrooms in this home. The island has quite an interesting history. You can also visit Boblo.ca. [30], The Falling Star, log flume, Enterprise, Sky Tower (Space Needle), Ferris wheel, a zoo, and a carousel were the signature attractions. All the passengers who had purchased round-trip tickets were comfortably aboardall, that is, but one. This thrilling park closed its doors for good in 1981, but not before providing visitors with decades of fun. It is boarded up but . I agree. In 1993, after nearly 100 years in the business of entertainment, it was decided that the park was to be closed. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Visit Boblo.ca for information about living on the island. The island is owned nearly in its entirety by Windsor developer Dominic Amicone through his Bob-Lo Island development company. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. Two twin villa homes on the north end of the island. 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. The boat was taken to Toledo on Tuesday. 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. 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. The remnants of Boblo Island Amusement Park: Ive always wondered about the island and have wanted to go back. It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. You support the mega millionaires who dont care about anything else in life except their bank accounts. The restaurant just opened for the season on the 24th, this past Friday. My birthday is coming up, maybe my family can take me to the island. Plants and overgrown grass fill the dirt paths near the Space Needle. We also traveled. Built all the way back in 1898, the Boblo Island Amusement Park was a shining beacon of wholesome fun. To rebuild would be one of lifes pleasures. 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. Look at Sugar Island.it once was a special place. Hoffmeister and Friese had an agreement that established . And I stood and looked across the river, and what I remember is no longer there, and Im 54 years old . Its maybe a five-minute ride, no more than 10 minutes with the docking. Windsor Mayor Arthur John Reaume wanted the island to be designated a National Park. Before I rode on it on the Island I had gone to a local fair and 3 other girls and I rode together on it and we laughed and really enjoyed it. [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. 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. You know what I think, I have never been over there. 2023 Detroit Historical Society. These steamers are the oldest passenger steamers in the United States of America, currently anchored at the Great Lakes Steel Dock in Ecorse, Michigan. Claireoffered their own form of entertainment. In June of 1999 Oram announced that he wished to recreate the amusement park on the mainland near Amherstburg, Ontario. You do it for other people. It is so cool to see the old dock piers and the beach is sand. One reason is competition from larger theme parks. Big changes for Sugar Island, good changes-it has made the drinking & partying boating groups unable to overtake the island.It was not safe. It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River and was commonly referred to as Detroit's Coney Island. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. [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. All rights reserved (About Us). See more ideas about island, amusement park, boblo boat. Boblo Island was an amusement park that was open for nearly 100 years. You can also see the large stage and the curtain with big holes in it. People should not be making assumptions about the island residents. When Ste. Today the community on this island is known as the Marina Resort Community. The ferry is a short four minute ride to the island. Peering through the broken glass, one can see water covering portions of the floor. When you disembark from the ferry, youfindyourself adjacent to a private very well-to-do residential area. My favorite ride was the Log Ride, I thought it was the greatest thing of all time. The marina on the west side of Boblo Island. After the boats docked at night back in Detroit, Mr. Short continued entertaining at the local bars and taverns he frequented.[33]. For visitors based in Detroit, it was about 30 kilometers away and could be reached by ferry. 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. An estimated 30,000 people passed through the island on their way to freedom. Though not all is lost. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Yongma Land Abandoned Theme Park. Now surrounded by tall grass and weeds, the park's historic entertainment theater remains near the center of the island. The price is around $500k. [25], American investors were scared away after the September 11 attacks, which hurt the financial outlook for the development. Soon after this, the British obtained the surrender of the American fort in Detroit without a shot being fired. The non-French residents called it Boblo, and the name was officially accepted in 1949. 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. From 1984 to 1985 there were 26 head injuries and 14 broken bones reported. Bois Blanc Island (Ontario) Who owns Boblo Island? The company had just been sold to a group from Texas who ran a small park. British troops captured 60 people and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. I dont think it is sad at all! The ferry runs 365 days a year, departing every 20 minutes. What remains of the boat after the fire is currently docked at Riverside Marina in Detroit. The tiny island is located in the middle of the East River, parallel to Manhattan's East 46th to 85th Streets. 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. A powerhouse that supplied electricity to the nearby Carousel which is no longer there. Although I had $8.00 in Canadian currency in hand to pay the ferry toll, I rode the ferry without being charged and with no questions asked. The Columbia is undergoing restoration. When did Boblo boat stop running? . The swan paddle boat ride was added in 1970, which became a fan favorite. The dock is gone and the passageway is mostly surrounded by weeds and overgrown grass. Remember, the island is in Canada, so you can't just cross over from the U.S. and dock there. 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. [26] KPMG found there was no money left to continue supplying basic services. Departing from the foot of Woodward Avenue, whereHart Plazais now, theColumbiaandSte. During the mid-19th century, the island was sold in parcels to several private owners who built cottages, stables, and trails. Neither will my grandchildren. Ferry passengers could be going to the island to patronize the restaurant. A combined force of British and Native American soldiers in canoes surprised and overpowered an American vessel en route to Detroit. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. Part of the experience was the long boat ride to the island. Abandoned Boblo Island Amusement Park is a former amusement park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. I dont know about draft/depth info or dock fees, not being a boater, myself, and having instead taken the ferry from Amherstburg, Ontario. [2] [16] Moodenbaugh later sued Benaroya and others for attempting to sell the park while he lay in a "virtual coma". On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The rides were sold in 1994, but as we discovered via YouTube, a number of the park's structures still stand on the island. Not one thing mentioned on the dance hall being 100 years old this year. About Boblo 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. 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