Author: Michael R Stoller Jr CC BY-ND 2.0 Though not all is lost. One step on the old dock, and I saw an old run-down white platform, no life, no care in worldlike everyone was evacuated and told not to come back. I mean Harbour House is nice, but would be nice to have a better view of the water (other than the marina) where you can watch the big ships go by. Change). The native Wyandot called the island "Etiowiteendannenti.Both the Wyandot and French names refer to the white wood appearance lent by the birch and poplar trees that line the banks. It's a place for those looking to surround themselves with nature, including the more than 50 different species of birds. By Edward Pevos of MLive - epevos@MLive.com. The living space of the Deerview twin villas. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. These homes are 1,250 square feet on the sides, 1,625 in the middle. 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. The old Dance Hall sits majestically abandoned on the center of the island. 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. Families need to be brought back together and enjoy their children once again. You do it for other people. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. The plan is to restructure the whole island and populate it with luxurious houses. The ferrys were known as "Bob-Lo Boats" and held about 2,500 passengers each. Did you work on both the SS Ste. The Park which eventually became Boblo Amusement Park got its first ride, the 178 48-animal Mangels-Illions Carousel. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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. http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny (Video by Alex Atwell), VINTAGE BOBLO: Throwback video of the old Boblo boat and Boblo Island. $19 million in debt, John's brother Randy forced Boblo Island into court-appointed receivership in 2004. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. In the distance is a building featuring dozens of condos. Boblo closed for good in September 1993. Windsor Mayor Arthur John Reaume wanted the island to be designated a National Park. why did boblo island close. Peering through the broken glass, one can see water covering portions of the floor. The Columbia's ship keeper, Sam Buchanan, said the St. Clair has "a prominent role" in. Locate and compare 4423631-Canada-Inc in Colchester Country ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. The Boblo Island Detroit dock building can be seen on the Detroit, Michigan side of the Detroit River. The place just went completely downhill. This is the remnants of an old putt-putt golf course. Well later that same summer (1972) I went with 2 of my brothers, one older and one younger with our Mother. The only access was via one of two ferries from Detroit or Amherstburg, the SS Ste. The ship, docked at Riverside Marina on the Detroit River, caught fire after 11 a.m. on. '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. In the years leading up to its closure, many of the rides were sold to satisfy debts. Before July 30, 2011, my last visit to Bob-Lo had been in June of 1968. During the 1920s and 1930s, swimming contests were held that went fromBelle Isleto Bob-Lo, covering 24 miles. The Boblo boat took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit river to Boblo Island Amusement Park. You can also see the large stage and the curtain with big holes in it. A retreat for the wealthy, amidst dilapidated remnants of history and ghosts of the past, with nature ever encroaching. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court and resulted in a notable 1948 decision construing the scope of the commerce clause. Technically speaking, the island was a part of Canada (Bois Blanc Island, Ontario to be exact) but was just a short ferry ride up the Detroit River from the city of Detroit. A lamp posts once used to illuminate the amusement park at night. Cedar Point, which has world-famous roller coasters and a wider range of attractions, is close enough to the Detroit area for a day trip (for the very hardy). Not a single lot was sold between 9/11 and May 2004. Or for the Lavatory building next to it, built to match the other stone buildings on the island. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Mike! All rights reserved (About Us). Built in the early 1900s, the SS Columbia and SS Ste. Soon after this, the British obtained the surrender of the American fort in Detroit without a shot being fired. These people had no clue whatsoever as to the history of Detroit, or of Bob-Lo. Plants and overgrown grass fill the dirt paths near the Space Needle. One of the more high-end homes on the north end of Boblo Island, Ontario. After coming aboard, visitors could look down from the main deck into the engine room, where powerful shafts and cams slowly warmed up. For 81 years, she ferried generations of families as they experienced a Windsor-Detroit right of passage: an island getaway to the beloved Boblo Island amusement park. The ruins of what remains can be seen via the waterway that separates both Michigan and Ontario, but for many, the memories of this once-bustling park are what truly keep it alive. This is the structure that once housed the Boblo Island Amusement Park bumper cars. The last screams of joy could be heard from the little island of fun 25 years ago as the Cedar Point of Michigan closed for the final time. There are two total bedrooms in this home. I am only 12. The ship in mid-swing. Between my concerns for the submerged rocks of the river and the mortar of history I was climbing over, I thought, what a wonderful place this island would be to explore if you were a kid or teenager and what a nightmare it poses for parents or grandparents of those explorers! 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. Id built up this image of perfectly cut green grass, flowers, water slides and party halls, but what I saw when I stepped onto the old white dock was far from the oasis I was told about. The remnants of Boblo Island Amusement Park: It had e. Copyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Given that the island was known as the Boblo Island Amusement Park from 1898 1993, Id say, overall, it was a pretty successful run. 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 cars operated by drawing power from an overhead electric grid unlike the Bumper Boats in use today. It was on a small island in the Detroit River at the mouth of Lake Erie. why did boblo island close. Only one blockhouse remains today. This thrilling park closed its doors for good in 1981, but not before providing visitors with decades of fun. I remember the log ride, where we''d all get wet but would soon dry out running about, the carousel, and of course the roller coaster. I loved going there as it was much smaller than Cedar Point so riding the rides didnt take so long. On the far side of the ride, people wait in line. You can still see the words "Boblo Island" on the Space Needle, 25 years after the park's closing. There are just two ways in and out of the island. More waterfront dining. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The people of Detroit, Michigan, characterized it as the city's Coney Island. It broke my heart to see the way everything looks these days. We dont save anything for history any more. Claire, which used to take passengers to Boblo Island, sits on the Detroit River in August 2015. With a blast of the big steam whistle, lines were cast off, and the 20-mile voyage began, taking about 80 minutes. Exploring and discovering those remains is a thrill in its own right. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Is it an easy walk to the restaurant on the west side from the ferry dock? The last screams of joy could be heard from the little island of fun 25 years ago as the Cedar Point of Michigan closed for the final time. It closed for good in 1993, 25 years ago. On the south side of the road leading from the ferry dock is a five-story condominium: Between the river and the condominium is a trail which heads south along the islands perimeter and allows a walker orbicyclist to view a number of historical structures, including the Sailors Monument, which still graces the eastern shore of the island: The commemorative plaque affixed to the Sailors Monument reads: Dedicated to 134 years of American-Canadian friendship across 4500 miles of unfortified border, protected only by the mutual respect and understanding one nation holds for the other. Building the lighthouse on the island instead of the shoal presented several advantages: a shorter tower could be used due to the . 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. Claire and the Columbia, as well as their Detroit docks, had been divested a few years earlier in 1991. Although the name will seem new to most of us, it's actually the original historic name of the island that was home to the historic . They are 1,405 square feet with a full basement. A tri-plex home. . If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. During the mid-19th century, the island was sold in parcels to several private owners who built cottages, stables, and trails. In 1993, after nearly 100 years in the business of entertainment, it was decided that the park was to be closed. Hard to believe, but for the first time in 124 years, there is no such place as Boblo Island. Departing from the foot of Woodward Avenue, whereHart Plazais now, theColumbiaandSte. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. While incapacitated in hospital, he lost legal control of island. 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). It is a wonderful place with beautiful heritage and history, that is why I chose to live here. 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? It was one of the most popular places to dance in the 1920s. The kitchen and dining space of the tri-plex. The Whip was installed in 1920, which was a huge hit, essentially paying for itself. "Yeah, she's 110 years old, but she's well-built and she survived," said boat co-owner, Ron Kattoo.