The fire could not be contained and destroyed the historic mahogany woodwork and upper decks. 10. Thank you again!! We dont save anything for history any more. People from all over Michigan, Canada and from as far away as California, have chosen to make Boblo Island their home. Anyone can go on the island via the ferry for a fee of $10 round-trip, but Boblo isn't a typical tourist destination. The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. From the top deck of the SS St. Claire, passengers watch the SS Columbia (built in 1902). The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court and resulted in a notable 1948 decision construing the scope of the commerce clause. I am so sad every time I think about Bob Lo. Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. 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. The passageway still exists showing Gilbraltar, Michigan to the left and Amherstburg, Ontario to the right. 2y Julie Enmei Bondy A retreat for the wealthy, amidst dilapidated remnants of history and ghosts of the past, with nature ever encroaching. To the north of the road leading from the ferry dock is a subdivision ofmini-mansions and duplexes, with an emphasis on stone and heavy on Victorian-style turrets. I recently visited the island to see that the old Theatre still stands. 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 ride takes about 5 or 10 minutes, instead of the hour it used to take . DETROIT Say the name "Boblo" to anyone who grew up around Michigan, and their eyes will light up. By 1910 the first amusement park rides, the carousel, ponies and a dancing pavillion were available. A parking stub from Boblo Island, 1988 Remember it was a time when girls wore dresses and not pants, so we sure had to be careful on the rides (check out the pictures how the girls were dressed). [2], The State of Michigan brought a racial discrimination case against the operators of the ferry service. I dont know about draft/depth info or dock fees, not being a boater, myself, and having instead taken the ferry from Amherstburg, Ontario. what a fun and exciting place. - Sally. . [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. The island has quite an interesting history. This is the observation area which would rise to the top. To add . After the short ferry ride, residents simply drive right onto the island onto Boblo Island Blvd. The SS Ste. The British also built a lighthouse in 1836 which operated until 1959. 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. It had e. BOBLO runs Nov. 22 to Dec. 2 at the Great Hall Black Box Theatre (former venue of the Theatre Centre), 1087 Queen St. W. For tickets ($20-$25), visit theatrecentre.org or call 416-538-0988. "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.". 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. Once built, the dance hall was the second largest in the world, able to accommodate no less than 5,000 dancers. People should not be making assumptions about the island residents. I just kayaked to Boblo Island today, and I saw so much potential left in this land. As a child I went to Bob-Lo Island every summer from the Detroit Side of the island. Claire or the Columbia, but no cellphone cameras documented that embarkation and carrying a Kodak Instamatic simply would not have been cool. The Bois Blanc Lighthouse built in 1836; its lamp room was destroyed in 1954 when vandals started a fire. BOBLO Island poster. There are no hotels. Boblo Island Amusement Park had its own custom version of bumper cars, known as Boblos Scootaboats. Michelle, I interpret Roys use of the phrase mega-millionaires as being in service of describing the island developers, not the residents. If I had mega-millions I would invest in restoration of the island and the amusement park. . Flags at the Amherstburg Dock. Claire, seen in 2016. This year, I hear theres an ice cream concession, Captain Bobs on the island (http://www.rivertowntimes.com/?s=Captain+bobs&submit). Really sad. - Bonnie, Oh! In the distance is a building featuring dozens of condos. 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. . This is the structure that once housed the Boblo Island Amusement Park bumper cars. If it wasnt for him to have done that for everyone, our world would never have known how peaceful, relaxing, fun, and most of all memorable a park could be. The sociology of unemployment - Tom Boland 2015-07-01 The sociology of unemployment is an analysis of the experience and governance of unemployment. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. For visitors based in Detroit, it was about 30 kilometers away and could be reached by ferry. You will find even more information in: Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island, by Patrick Livingstone (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2008); Bob-Lo: An Island in Troubled Waters, by Annessa Carlisle (Royal Oak, MI: Momentum Books, 2005); and for more photographs, Bob-Lo Revisited, by Bill Rauhausuer (Chicago: Lorentz, 2003). The 24-year-old Black woman boarded the SS Columbia en route for Boblo Island a Canadian amusement park beloved by Detroiters. - LJ. It was in a time when the parents didn''t have to worry about the children. By After Memorial Day Weekend in 1997, park rangers learned that the arch had collapsed. My birthday is coming up, maybe my family can take me to the island. "That's probably because I have about twice as many rides as Boblo Island." Why not this man who gave everyone joy in life with their families? In fact didn''t go as much as I would of liked to. Most people just drive their vehicles onto the ferry from Amherstburg and are home in a few minutes. Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company, From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina. 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. Theme parks, like Lake Shawnee Park in West Virginia, closed down after guests died at the park. It was like a little cruise. Pinterest. The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide - just 272 acres. Parts of that tower still stand. 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. -Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park 1898-1993 Thanks . I believe the unfortunate combination of being a Canadian island with almost all American history is the reason its not being cherished by people in Canada. . Im glad you made this comment. [25], American investors were scared away after the September 11 attacks, which hurt the financial outlook for the development. - 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. Loved going to Bob-Lo as a kid. . Only one blockhouse remains today. 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. [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. 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. Boblo Island was an amusement park that was open for nearly 100 years. You support the mega millionaires who dont care about anything else in life except their bank accounts. Bois Blanc is known regionally as the former home of the Boblo Island Amusement Park, which began operation in 1898 and closed on September 30, 1993. To rebuild would be one of lifes pleasures. Some recent activity indicates this one might be saved. On the far side of the ride, people wait in line. Over the years, the park began to decline and wane in popularity. I wish that the people that bought this island could restore it. 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. 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. By 1920 the famous amusement ride, the Whip was installed on the island and the first season alone paid for the maintenance and the purchase of the ride. The Boblo boat Columbia is being restored by a New York nonprofit. The boat was taken to Toledo on Tuesday. "Living on the island feels like being on vacation everyday," said Gena Boschin, a former Tennessee resident who lives on the island and works 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. ", "Small fire breaks out on SS Ste. I did notice, however, the last time we went the island had gone downhill quite a bit. British troops captured 60 of the attackers and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. The island is a five-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario, and 18 miles from Detroit. St. Clair Shores (1950-60s) & never went to the park. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser. 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. [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. The little that remains of the park is covered with vegetation or has been demolished. Its a wonderful feeling strolling the island, standing next to buildings where 10s of thousands of souls now long departed use to frequent. Peering through the broken glass, one can see water covering portions of the floor. Bleacher seating remains intact in the abandoned theater. The abandoned amusement park was a p. Over the years it grew into a unique island amusement park, with a midway and dozens of rides. Bois Blanc Island (Ontario) Who owns Boblo Island? [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. Interestingly, the islands history starts long before the amusement park was even planned. This photo shows people boarding the SS St. Claire (built in 1910) bound for Boblo Island. Check out recent photos from one of the Boblo boats. The park's coasters and rides were sold following its closing in 1993, but there are intriguing remnants. Private cottages and government property remained at the north and south ends of the island. The 1878 Mangels-Illions Carousels 44 horses, two goats, and two deer were sold for more than $1 million. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. It is slated to include a luxury hotel, international shops & restaurants, a 107-berth boat dock, and a pier large enough to accommodate lake cruise ships along with The S.S. . 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. More than a century later, in the 1920s, the amusement park opened on the sitethen closed in 1966 after the accidental deaths of two young patrons, including one on the spooky circular swing. From 1984 to 1985 there were 26 head injuries and 14 broken bones reported. This is private property and the doors are chain locked. But the partnership soon dissolved into a clash of wills that led to the collapse of the amusement park and a bitter lawsuit. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. I dont think it is sad at all! You can find the Boblo Island Beach House restaurant on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BobloIslandMarina Also the Boblo Island Marina: https://www.facebook.com/BobloIslandMarina You may be able to get the information you need by writing to: BOBLOMARINA@BOBLO.CA You may want to mention youre coming from the States; I dont know the protocol for private boats crossing the international border in the river to dock. If youre interested, check out Patrick Livingstons book Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island, published by Wayne State University Press in 2008. A model of existing and future residential properties and harbor on Boblo Island at the Boblo Discovery Centre in Amherstburg, Ontario. The Nightmare (ride), Falling Star, Wild Mouse, Sky Streak and Screamer were the signature rides. A company called Premier Parks acquired the classic amusement park in 1995. It was one of the most popular places to dance in the 1920s. 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