why did boblo island close why did boblo island close

I enjoyed BobLo so much as a child-we boarded the boats in Wyandotte. Interestingly, the islands history starts long before the amusement park was even planned. The last summer that Bob-Lo operated as an amusement park was almost two decades ago: 1993. Our world today, especially with the pandemic, needs what we all once had back in this society. If I had mega-millions I would invest in restoration of the island and the amusement park. Ferry passengers could be going to the island to patronize the restaurant. The kitchen and dining space of the tri-plex. why did boblo island close. The park has been closed since 1993, but the legend of Boblo is still strong. As a child I went to Bob-Lo Island every summer from the Detroit Side of the island. I remember going to Boblo Island when I was a child, having fun riding rides; our children will never be able to do that. A woman leans against the fence in the foreground to take a picture of the ride. You do it for other people. The Boblo Island boat, S.S. Ste Claire, was destroyed on Friday morning after a massive fire on the ship. Enjoy Rochester Hills mom testifies about 2 . The cars operated by drawing power from an overhead electric grid unlike the Bumper Boats in use today. It's just a stone's throw from historic Amherstburg, Ontario, which is a 30-minute drive from Windsor. He previously worked for Ringling Brothers Circus and captivated children with adventurous tales and knock-knock jokes until his retirement in 1974, at the age of 90. Boblo Boats: A Detroit Fairy Tale The Park which eventually became Boblo Amusement Park got its first ride, the 178 48-animal Mangels-Illions Carousel. Locate and compare 4423631-Canada-Inc in Colchester Country ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. [5] The boats were sold off as a result of a decision to shutter operations at the Detroit dock. I know had I been related to this man, I would have kept his memory alive. To move visitors around the island, the park had a small railroad. Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company, From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina. Although Boblo Island Beach House is pretty good. how much was bitcoin in 2010. pets4homes boost advert 9, Juin, 2022. smugglers inn steak soup recipe; What a shame, all gone because some mega millionaires wanted more money. 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. One of the more high-end homes on the north end of Boblo Island, Ontario. You can explore and find the foundations of the dance floor ruins. Sue Cicala. Each boat could hold about 2,500 passengers. By Edward Pevos of MLive - epevos@MLive.com. Residents of the small community live among acres and acres of nature, just steps from water. Well, it went out of business a long time ago, but we found a few videos of what it looks like today -- check them out here. Why not this man who gave everyone joy in life with their families? He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. Boblo Island Amusement Park had its own custom version of bumper cars, known as Boblos Scootaboats. I agree, Jennifer, very sad. I just would like to see whats there and for my family to share it with me. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. 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). As well as some great stories, it includes some good photographs from all of the islands incarnations! Ive been talking to friends who also loved Boblo and I am going to do further study. I do hope that someone will come along and restore the park back to its prime, so we can get families and the community back together again, and we can share our memories with the generations to come. The island has quite an interesting history. In 1949, the island was threatened by bankruptcy. The first amusement park rides were moving by 1910. The Browning Family sold the island in 1979, which led to several owners in the following years, including IBC and AAA of Michigan. Of more concern than strangers arriving by ferry would be the boats that pull up and anchor around the island on summer days. Before July 30, 2011, my last visit to Bob-Lo had been in June of 1968. 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. 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. This is what the more than 100-year old steamer looked like a few years ago. why did boblo island closeconservation international ceo. The name 'Boblo' came back recently after a massive fire destroyed an iconic ferry that used to take people to and from the now closed island amusement park. Bois Blanc Island, French for White Woods Island, was named on account of its numerous white-barked birch and beech trees, and is today commonly known as Boblo Island, an English corruption of the original name. Colorful picnic tables near Captain Bob's Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin. 2023 Detroit Historical Society. The place is oozing history. Over the years it grew into a unique island amusement park, with a midway and dozens of rides. The company was busy during the week, moving people and goods up and down the river. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. [28] However, a local housing slump meant little was developed. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. Over the years, the park began to decline and wane in popularity. Boblo Island Amusement Park ran from 1898 to 1993. In 1991, those boats were sold and smaller ferries took people from Gibraltar, Mich., to the island, as well as Amherstburg. How to rent hobbit-type MUSHROOM HOUSES in Northern Michigan, Haunting insides of the abandoned NORTHVILLE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, See Michigan's only ALPINE MOUNTAIN SLIDE, 1,700 feet of fun, Inside Michigan's OLDEST OPERATING INN built in 1835, This may be the MOST PICTURESQUE spot in Michigan, Inside the SMITHSONIAN OF MAGIC, located in Michigan, We explored WARREN DUNES, the Sleeping Bear of Southwest MI, GoPro video riding MICHIGAN'S LONGEST ZIPLINE, Exploring Michigan's abandoned, haunted ELOISE ASYLUM, Country's LARGEST AUTO MUSEUM is in the middle of nowhere, Michigan. 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. The subdivision consists of a loop of a street containing a court within the loop. Huntington. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. It's a place for those looking to surround themselves with nature, including the more than 50 different species of birds. A powerhouse that supplied electricity to the nearby Carousel which is no longer there. Claire V can fit up to 16 vehicles as well as pedestrians and cyclists. This thrilling park closed its doors for good in 1981, but not before providing visitors with decades of fun. Getting to the dock in Detroit early in the morning, the anticipation of boarding the boat, the ride on the river, the views, the fact I could play an arcade game on a boat blew my small mind. The best time was 8 hours and 42 minutes turned in by 17-year old Dorothy de Caussin and 15-year old Ida Mutnick, both of Detroit. Look at Sugar Island.it once was a special place. [30], The Falling Star, log flume, Enterprise, Sky Tower (Space Needle), Ferris wheel, a zoo, and a carousel were the signature attractions. The Sky Streak Ride, for example, was moved to Selva Magica, a theme park in Mexico, and the Nightmare was initially moved to Six Flags Houston where it was known as the Mayan Mindbender, only to be moved once again to a theme park in Amarillo, Texas. For visitors based in Detroit, it was about 30 kilometers away and could be reached by ferry. 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. A model of existing and future residential properties and harbor on Boblo Island at the Boblo Discovery Centre in Amherstburg, Ontario. Many of the other rides are still entertaining guests at parks in Texas, Maryland, British Columbia, and Mexico. . All rights reserved (About Us). What's with those GIANT PIE PANS in Traverse City & Charlevoix? I loved going there as it was much smaller than Cedar Point so riding the rides didnt take so long. They are located next to the Dance Hall. The north side of Boblo is a growing private community, with numerous homes and condominiums. It is now an expensive, gated housing community with a private clubhouse. (LogOut/ In the years leading up to its closure, many of the rides were sold to satisfy debts. Two twin villa homes on the north end of the island. Im glad you made this comment. The legend of Boblo is still strong in Detroit. 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. The little that remains of the park is covered with vegetation or has been demolished. He was 20 years older than me. The living space of the Deerview twin villas. - Bonnie, Oh! You can still see the words "Boblo Island" on the Space Needle, 25 years after the park's closing. The park was closed for the 1933-1934 seasons due to the Great Depression. I had the pleasure of delivering a load of stuffed animals to the Park in the early 1990s, was a trip i will never forget, driving my Freightliner truck and a 48 foot trailer onto the wharf to make the trip across the river in the middle of the night over to the island then driving around the the park, having to stop and wait for the park benches to be moved for me to able to get truck and trailer around the turns stopping here and there to off load these stuffed toys into little electric carts for the arcade games before the park opened the next day, Friday of a May 24 weekend. 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? Newly restored in the Spring of 2013 by the residents of the community, they now offer Blockhouse tours on most Sundays from 1pm - 4pm. St. The people of Detroit, Michigan, characterized it as the city's Coney Island. In the ride's final incarnation, the train itself was a scale recreation of Central Pacific Railroad's 19 th century C.P. Built in the early 1900s, the SS Columbia and SS Ste. Many of you remember taking the journey to the top for a breathtaking view of the park. In a sentence, I think, the world around POP changed. 2022-09-26. Both vessels are bound for Boblo Island. 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. (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). You'd be hard-pressed to find much evidence of those rides now. Review. Purchasing a home on Boblo Island? The amusement park was so famous in its day that Henry Ford himself provided money for a Dance Hall to be built, designed by the architect John Scott. Boblo Island closed for essentially the same reasons as many other urban amusement parks closed. FOX 2 Detroit (WJBK) - The name 'Boblo' came back recently after a massive fire destroyed an iconic ferry that used to take people to and from the now closed island amusement park. Locate and compare Service d'ambulance in Mersea ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. 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. I found this very useful for Information! If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. A sign leads residents and visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island. On the far side of the ride, people wait in line. I grew up visiting the island and Im hoping to return to explore it again someday. Claire provided . By golf cart or bike or on foot are the only ways to navigate the crushed limestone trails that cover the remainder of the island,but for the residential area (the only place where cars are allowed). Bleacher seating remains intact in the abandoned theater. Boblo Island Timeline from the Detroit News, "Bob-Lo Excursion Co. v. Michigan, 333 U.S. 28 (1948)", "Boblo amusement park purchased by U.S. firm", "Park yours for $9 million: Owner says sellany development OK", "Boblo remains viable business, observer says", "Boblo Island gets no nibbles, no takers, says realtor", "Bad news rains on financially troubled Boblo", "Michigan investors unlikely to appeal Boblo ownership", "Boblo tradition seems safer with Seattle owner", "Dance band on the Titanic: Boblo's last tangle", "Former Boblo partner sues ex-partners over sale", "Boblo's roller-coaster saga ends: Piece by historic piece, popular park dismantled", "Boblo's heyday not forgotten: New owner has ties to area", "New Boblo owner offers few details to packed house", "Boblo Island to get 52-home development", "Oram outlines plans for Boblo Island's condominium project", "Boblo in receivership: Island awash in $19M in red ink", "Boblo adrift in red ink: Receiver KPMG finds no money left", "Boblo rising from the dust: New ownership infuses elite island community with optimism", "Amherstburg reminisces after Boblo Island tower demolished", Boblo Island Dance Hall Story from the Detroit News, "Detroit Free Press: Former Boblo Island music machine may draw up to $2.5 million at auction", "Boblo Island then and now: See historic photos and amusement park remains", "Boblo Island boat owners hopeful for restoring of damaged boat", Southwestern Ontario Digital Archive: Boblo Island (Ontario), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boblo_Island_Amusement_Park&oldid=1114994535, Tourist attractions in Essex County, Ontario, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 9 October 2022, at 09:00. You support the mega millionaires who dont care about anything else in life except their bank accounts. If anyone has Meade Gougeon's cell number, seriously, call him. The juvenile coyote was gone in another blink of the eye. The ferry runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Claire, seen in 2016. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. Second case of COVID-19 confirmed in Windsor-Essex City of Windsor declares state of emergency, Devonshire and Tecumseh malls to close Boblo Island residential development plan moving forward. Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. 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. (Check out more Boblo history at BobloSteamers.com), Alex Atwell put together an awesome tour of the Ste. 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. A retreat for the wealthy, amidst dilapidated remnants of history and ghosts of the past, with nature ever encroaching. With all the history on that island, I dont get it why it was left to die. [2], Though it was not looking for a buyer, the Michigan AAA sold Boblo Island in 1988 to the International Broadcasting Corporation, a Minneapolis-based concern that owned the Harlem Globetrotters and Ice Capades. I dont know about draft/depth info or dock fees, not being a boater, myself, and having instead taken the ferry from Amherstburg, Ontario. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. There is a dock at the restaurant on the island, Sue. 582 gold coast drive boblo island ontario windsor essex ontario mls 22015670 video tour available at https wwwdangemuscom listings welcome to the awesome lifestyle on bois blanc also known as boblo. (LogOut/ http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny. Claire or the Columbia, but no cellphone cameras documented that embarkation and carrying a Kodak Instamatic simply would not have been cool. Claire and the SS Columbia offered ferry services to all those wishing to travel to Boblo Island. '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. But there is new life on the island 23 years after the closing of the amusement park. Answer (1 of 2): I have barely recallable memories of POP. Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. I agree with Maureen. Thank you again for the information. It closed for good in 1993, 25 years ago. Its sad that my kids will never be able to go there and ride the same rides I did as a kid. The Bois Blanc Lighthouse built in 1836; its lamp room was destroyed in 1954 when vandals started a fire. Author: Michael R Stoller Jr CC BY-ND 2.0 Though not all is lost. ), Thank you so much for the great information. Neither will my grandchildren. Check out recent photos from one of the Boblo boats.