The restaurant just opened for the season on the 24th, this past Friday. Ken Haddad is the digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com. 2y Gord Bailey OMG I worked that Ride! 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). Very little remains, physically, of the amusement park attractions, but what we did find is fascinating, as you'll see in the link below. For many in this part of Michigan, this boat resides in fond memories of trips to Boblo Island. (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). 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. 2y Shelly Premer Neault Still closed. Explore. - Kathy G. We kids were able to run up and down the stairs on the boat and go to the dance floor. You can also see the large stage and the curtain with big holes in it. Boblo (or Bob-Lo) sparks memories for many adults who. After coming aboard, visitors could look down from the main deck into the engine room, where powerful shafts and cams slowly warmed up. This thrilling park closed its doors for good in 1981, but not before providing visitors with decades of fun. (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. Bob-Lo was such a fun place and figures so prominently in many peoples childhood summertime memories! http://boblo.ca/. All rights reserved (About Us). Bleacher seating remains intact in the abandoned theater. It's a place for those looking to surround themselves with nature, including the more than 50 different species of birds. I would bring back the lost souls and add life to the island again. Boblo (or Bob-Lo) sparks memories for many adults who. [24] The island was off limits to non-residents until 2002. From 1898 to 1993, the park was a summer staple for Detroit families. Claire and the SS Columbia? The first thing I did when I got back home was to search for a Bob-Lo Historical Society on the Internet. Claire was engulfed in an accidental fire while docked on the Detroit River on July 6, 2018. Boblo Island looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers Hundreds of small amusement parks went out in 1980s as families all went to super amusement parks like Cedar Point and Six Flags and did not visit small ones often. The Boblo Island amusement park closed in the 1990s after a century of operation. Plants and overgrown grass fill the dirt paths near the Space Needle. Boblo Island Amusement Park had its own custom version of bumper cars, known as Boblos Scootaboats. With all the history on that island, I dont get it why it was left to die. The earliest historical reference, from 1718, describes 70 Native American families peacefully farming the fertile land. Soon after this, the British obtained the surrender of the American fort in Detroit without a shot being fired. He was 20 years older than me. [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. 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. The subdivision consists of a loop of a street containing a court within the loop. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. 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? [15] Moodenbaugh had hired Liberal MPP Remo Mancini to help market the park. [4], IBC declared bankruptcy in 1991. Boblo Island was an amusement park that was open for nearly 100 years. 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. [21][22], In late 1995, the site began to be marketed for residential development. Boblo (or Bob-Lo) sparks memories for many adults who spent summers riding the ferry to Boblo Island, visiting its amusement park or just enjoying a picnic. 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 Browning Family sold the island in 1979, which led to several owners in the following years, including IBC and AAA of Michigan. There are no hotels. What's with those GIANT PIE PANS in Traverse City & Charlevoix? 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. Of more concern than strangers arriving by ferry would be the boats that pull up and anchor around the island on summer days. 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. [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. Exploring and discovering those remains is a thrill in its own right. Abandoned Boblo Island Amusement Park is a former amusement park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. The restaurant is open to residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday. 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). 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. Both vessels are bound for Boblo Island. 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 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. How I recall the fun times of going to Bob-Lo, with my sisters and brother. 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. He's been with WDIV since 2013. Colorful picnic tables near Captain Bob's Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. "Yeah, she's 110 years old, but she's well-built and she survived," said boat co-owner, Ron Kattoo. Story by Edward Pevos of MLive Once home to a popular amusement park from 1898 to 1993, Boblo Island in Ontario is now home to residential property, marinas, a restaurant and more. Courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society, Photographer Joe Clark. Once a landmark amusement park, Boblo Island is ready to essentially triple its current population through a new. "That's probably because I have about twice as many rides as Boblo Island." It was set on Ontario's picturesque Bois Blanc Island (frequently known as "Boblo Island") and featured everything you could want in a theme park. Along with homes, there are also property lots for sale in which people can build homes on. We went alot and when my family''s jobs had company picnic it would always be Bob Lo. Its a wonderful feeling strolling the island, standing next to buildings where 10s of thousands of souls now long departed use to frequent. In the distance is a building featuring dozens of condos. Unfortunately, my search came up empty. The Human Spinning Rotor or simply "The Rotor" was invented by a German scientist, Ernst Hoffmeister, and was financially supported by businessman Carl Friese. - Sally. Claire and the Columbia, as well as their Detroit docks, had been divested a few years earlier in 1991. Visitors could travel between rides and attractions using a mini railroad. 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. 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. During the 1920s and 1930s, swimming contests were held that went fromBelle Isleto Bob-Lo, covering 24 miles. 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. what a fun and exciting place. Now surrounded by tall grass and weeds, the park's historic entertainment theater remains near the center of the island. The Whip was installed in 1920, which was a huge hit, essentially paying for itself. 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? Windsor Mayor Arthur John Reaume wanted the island to be designated a National Park. The park closed in 1996 after several personal injury lawsuits were filed against it. People from all over Michigan, Canada and from as far away as California, have chosen to make Boblo Island their home. For visitors based in Detroit, it was about 30 kilometers away and could be reached by ferry. Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company, From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina. They transformed the island into an amusement park, including a coaster, Ferris wheel, fun house and more. Boblo Island today: Once known as Bois Blanc Island, Boblo lies on the Detroit River on the Canadian side. Without Michael's approval the park was closed, the rides sold off, dismantled and shipped away. 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. About Boblo Island Amusement Park: You can take a tour of the model homes on Boblo Island on Saturdays and Sundays with an island specialist by calling 519-736-1111. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. The old Dance Hall sits majestically abandoned on the center of the island. - Marva, I am 63 years old and I remember Bob-lo so well. Ive been talking to friends who also loved Boblo and I am going to do further study. [30], The Falling Star, log flume, Enterprise, Sky Tower (Space Needle), Ferris wheel, a zoo, and a carousel were the signature attractions. 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 amusement was a given. The living space of the Deerview twin villas. 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. 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. The passageway still exists showing Gilbraltar, Michigan to the left and Amherstburg, Ontario to the right. "It's not the exact layout of Boblo Island," Kevin says in the documentary. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Essentially triple its current population through a new for many in this part of Michigan, boat... 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