It was awesome place. The plan is to restructure the whole island and populate it with luxurious houses. 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.. 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. While incapacitated in hospital, he lost legal control of island. The legend of Boblo is still strong in Detroit. One of these survived to become a souvenir stand for the amusement park. This is the remnants of an old putt-putt golf course. The ferry is a short four minute ride to the island. 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. It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. The railroad began operating on the island in 1956. Rochester Hills mom testifies about 2 . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this site. It is not fair that these people can just take away the little bit of history we have left just so they can watch their bank accounts rise. Edit: I hope it's just a tracker issue but it seemed to be working fine. - LJ. The swan paddle boat ride was added in 1970, which became a fan favorite. It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. 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Bring a bike or plan to hike as the only streets to accommodate cars are in the development. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. Peering through the broken glass, one can see water covering portions of the floor. By each step it became more clear that this was left for dead a long time ago. 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. 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). My twin daughters, now 35, remember, but my son, 28, will never know. http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny. The steamers, the Ste. [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. Today, 24 years after the park was closed and 118 years after its grand opening, little remains as a reminder of the islands history. The first amusement park rides were moving by 1910. Boblo Island looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers. Huntington. A tri-plex home. Ken Haddad is the digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com. When you disembark from the ferry, youfindyourself adjacent to a private very well-to-do residential area. http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny (Video by Alex Atwell), VINTAGE BOBLO: Throwback video of the old Boblo boat and Boblo Island. The back of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford and built in 1913. For those who lived it firsthand, though, Boblo Island was an accessible and affordable paradise right in Detroit's backyard. Bois Blanc has been part of Canada since 1787. Boblo Island opened in 1898. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you . Photo courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. 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. I dont know about draft/depth info or dock fees, not being a boater, myself, and having instead taken the ferry from Amherstburg, Ontario. This is a small area of the white sand beach open to residents of Boblo Island. I was 7 years old when the ferries stopped running in 1991. 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. 272 acres. Enjoy These people had no clue whatsoever as to the history of Detroit, or of Bob-Lo. How to live on Boblo Island: Author: Michael R Stoller Jr CC BY-ND 2.0 Though not all is lost. - Brandon, I am 73 years old and remember my parents taking me to Bob-Lo after picking me up at Willow Run Airport after a visit with relatives in Miami FL when I was 8 years old. Bois Blanc Island, Pointe Aux Pins, MI 49775 +1 231-634-7100 + Add website + Add hours. I was just in Amherstburg Sunday May 27,2013. The marina on the west side of Boblo Island. I know the kids and people of this generation are definitely looking forward to more developments. One reason is competition from larger theme parks. With a blast of the big steam whistle, lines were cast off, and the 20-mile voyage began, taking about 80 minutes. Check out recent photos from one of the Boblo boats. '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. The place is oozing history. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Answer: 90% of the time, it's because the parks don't have enough money and/or business to keep up with running costs, and the parks simply close and are left to rot. (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. Its sad that my kids will never be able to go there and ride the same rides I did as a kid. People from all over Michigan, Canada and from as far away as California, have chosen to make Boblo Island their home. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Kathleen Saylors. It disappeared for the same reasons like Marineland of the Pacific, and the park in Long Beach. The Boblo Island Detroit dock building can be seen on the Detroit, Michigan side of the Detroit River. 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. After coming aboard, visitors could look down from the main deck into the engine room, where powerful shafts and cams slowly warmed up. Bob-Lo was such a fun place and figures so prominently in many peoples childhood summertime memories! In the ride's final incarnation, the train itself was a scale recreation of Central Pacific Railroad's 19 th century C.P. It is a story told in a new movie that premiered last week in Detroit called "Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale". Boblo (or Bob-Lo) sparks memories for many adults who. Or not. Which may not be surprising, given that its been many thingscamp for European explorers, fortress, picnic spot, dance venue, amusement park, retreatto many people over the centuries beginning with four Algonquin and Iroquoian tribes:the Ojibwa (Chippewa), Ottawa, Potawatomi and the Wyandot (Huron)one source claims the original name of the island was Etiowiteedannenti, a name bestowed by the Wyandotand followed by: The first recorded passage to the island, which was named Bois Blanc (White Woods), by the French dates from 1670. Many of the other rides are still entertaining guests at parks in Texas, Maryland, British Columbia, and Mexico. Boblo Boats Documentary Hitting Select Theatres in Detroit This Fall [VIDEO], Metallicas 72 Seasons Global Premiere Where You Can Watch in Michigan, Detroit Chef Named Chopped Champ Donates $10K Prize, Tri-County Ninja & Collectibles in Fenton Approved for Liquor License, Compete in Cedar Point Trivia from the Comfort of Your Michigan Home, Michigan Has Enforced the Death Penalty a Remarkably Low Number of Times, Celebrate 21 Years Of The Machine Shop In March, 13 Suggestions to Fill Flints Empty Sears in Genesee Valley Mall. Abandoned Boblo Island Amusement Park is a former amusement park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. 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. Update: A couple of them were partially restored and used during the filming ofTransformers 4. Why did Boblo Island shut down? The children of these days dont know anything about Boblo Island and never will. Plant life around the old Space Needle observation tower. 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. Its very sad because growing up that was all everyone talked about was Boblo Island, and all the amazing memories. 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. An old silent family home movie of a trip to Boblo Island Amusement Park, no longer existing. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court and resulted in a notable 1948 decision construing the scope of the commerce clause. 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.. Why did Boblo Island close? It is now an expensive, gated housing community with a private clubhouse. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. The island was also an important stop on the Underground Railroad to Canada, which worked to help escaped slaves leave the country. The island is now a residential community. Its too bad they couldnt have it ready for this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary. An estimated 30,000 people passed through the island on their way to freedom. Only one blockhouse remains today. Big changes for Sugar Island, good changes-it has made the drinking & partying boating groups unable to overtake the island.It was not safe. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. Plus it was a place where the 400-pipe, 4-meter high, self-playing orchestra was housed. These homes are 1,250 square feet on the sides, 1,625 in the middle. 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. The park was closed for the 1933-1934 seasons due to the Great Depression. The name of the island was changed to Boblo in 1929 when visitors had problems correctly pronouncing the original French name. Find useful information, the address and the phone number of the local business you are looking for. By Edward Pevos of MLive - epevos@MLive.com. It runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year at a fee of $10 each way. People should not be making assumptions about the island residents. [27] Dominic Amicone became the new owner in 2005. why did boblo island close. 6 reviews #1 of 2 Restaurants in Pointe Aux Pins American Pub. Would love to know more about your experience working on the Bob-Lo boats. (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). (LogOut/ The island is mainly a place where people can live in serenity. Unclaimed. "[2] The Michigan Supreme Court fined the company $25 for the discrimination they presented towards Ray. 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. To rebuild would be one of lifes pleasures. I can forward them to you if you would like. You can explore and find the foundations of the dance floor ruins. Boblo closed for good in September 1993. 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. You'd be hard-pressed to find much evidence of those rides now. The 18-mile boat ride was carried out by the famous ships: the Columbia, built in 1902, and the Ste. In the distance is a building featuring dozens of condos. 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). "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.". RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. - 585. Building the lighthouse on the island instead of the shoal presented several advantages: a shorter tower could be used due to the . Boblo Island today: The homes come with all appliances. Claire was engulfed in an accidental fire while docked on the Detroit River on July 6, 2018. Nessel calls on DTE, Consumers to issue automatic power outage credits after storm. Claire, seen in 2016. It was like a little cruise. Very little remains, physically, of the amusement park attractions, but what we did find is fascinating, as you'll see in the link below. 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. One of the many residential homes on the north end of Boblo Island, Ontario, seen Wednesday, July 27, 2016. The boat would stop there to take people to the island for the day. Larry Benaroya, his associate, and his Northern Capital took control of the property; Mancini was fired, and the ownership group put it back on the market in January 1994. The little that remains of the park is covered with vegetation or has been demolished.