DETROIT Say the name "Boblo" to anyone who grew up around Michigan, and their eyes will light up. The earliest historical reference, from 1718, describes 70 Native American families peacefully farming the fertile land. To rebuild would be one of lifes pleasures. Private cottages and government property remained at the north and south ends of the island. If you are adventurous and don't mind a difficult climb, you can make a reservation (months in advance) and enter the crown. I agree, Jennifer, very sad. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. Neither will my grandchildren. 2y Julie Enmei Bondy The far end of the island is now all luxury homes. About Boblo Island: Since the amusement park's closure, Boblo Island has been renovated for luxury homes. But there is new life on the island 23 years after the closing of the amusement park. 2y Gord Bailey OMG I worked that Ride! 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 plan is to restructure the whole island and populate it with luxurious houses. Exploring and discovering those remains is a thrill in its own right. The little that remains of the park is covered with vegetation or has been demolished. Morale among the employees both on the Boats and the Island was at an all-time low according to some veteran workers. The people of Detroit, Michigan, characterized it as the city's Coney Island. It is completely grown over with weeds and trees. 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. What did you do? Its very sad because growing up that was all everyone talked about was Boblo Island, and all the amazing memories. The ship in mid-swing. The men's entrance is to the left. [18], In 1994, John Oram, an Iraqi immigrant to the United States who owned car stereo businesses, purchased the Boblo Island site. This photo shows people boarding the SS St. Claire (built in 1910) bound for Boblo Island. Known as Boblo Amusement Park, it was wildly popular with American tourists throughout much of the 20th century until it closed in 1993. i need a boblo island abandoned amusement park date pic . Which theme park has the most deaths? The company was busy during the week, moving people and goods up and down the river. [1], The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the Detroit River. The island was home to a popular amusement park starting in the late 1890s. Photo courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society. If all this talk of Edgewater Park has sent you into a nostalgic funk, never fear: the video below, posted (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). It was awesome place. All Rights Reserved. Few physical reminders remain from the amusement park, which closed in 1993, but the island has had a surprising resurgence - as a quiet but thriving residential community. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Suddenly, without any warning, there was a relatively large mammal in the middle of the trail, directly in the line of my front bike tire. Claire and the SS Columbia? Only about a third of a milea 5 to 10-minute walk, depending on your speedfrom the ferry dock on the west side of the island, east on Bob-Lo Island Boulevard, to the marina on the other side of the narrow island. For visitors based in Detroit, it was about 30 kilometers away and could be reached by ferry. All the passengers who had purchased round-trip tickets were comfortably aboardall, that is, but one. I remember going to Boblo Island when I was a child, having fun riding rides; our children will never be able to do that. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. They operated a Rotor in West Germany at Oktoberfest in 1949. What remains of the boat after the fire is currently docked at Riverside Marina in Detroit. The non-French residents called it Boblo, and the name was officially accepted in 1949. [1] The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the Detroit River. - Sally. The middle section of the island was developed as a park. Bring a bike or plan to hike as the only streets to accommodate cars are in the development. Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. 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. 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. 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 audio journey to Mars is etched in my brain! Quite disappointing that we never went back, management was doing a terrible job. Claire and SS Columbia sounded their whistles, every Detroit kid knew it heralded the coming of summer and the magic of ferrying over to nearby Boblo Island Amusement Park. saki, Japan. . The man that made it did it to bring families together and spend time with their children. I was born and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan. Unfortunately, my search came up empty. After the short ferry ride, residents simply drive right onto the island onto Boblo Island Blvd. The 18-mile boat ride was carried out by the famous ships: the Columbia, built in 1902, and the Ste. All rights reserved (About Us). Why did Boblo Island shut down? [27] Dominic Amicone became the new owner in 2005. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. For visitors based in Detroit, it was about 30 kilometers away and could be reached by ferry. Touch device users . This is the remnants of an old putt-putt golf course. Families need to be brought back together and enjoy their children once again. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Check out recent photos from one of the Boblo boats. 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). Bois Blanc Island was where Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, a Native American warrior, decided to place his headquarters during the War of 1812. The old Dance Hall sits majestically abandoned on the center of 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. With a blast of the big steam whistle, lines were cast off, and the 20-mile voyage began, taking about 80 minutes. Photojournalist Seph Lawless has taken pictures of 10 abandoned theme parks around the US. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Places like fort custer, MI and fort sheridan, illinois, all sold to profiteers. They created a destination to keep themselves busy on the weekend. Twin villa homes on the north end of the island. Many years later, the ferries were sold but the service was continued by a number of different, smaller boats. 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. The Human Spinning Rotor or simply "The Rotor" was invented by a German scientist, Ernst Hoffmeister, and was financially supported by businessman Carl Friese. 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. The beautiful wood flooring should never have been ripped out. I dont know about draft/depth info or dock fees, not being a boater, myself, and having instead taken the ferry from Amherstburg, Ontario. [19] He vaguely proposed a casino, hotel, and other development. I enjoyed BobLo so much as a child-we boarded the boats in Wyandotte. Peaking through the windows, you can see it's being used for storage. 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. Finally, A young entrepreneur who successfully turned around a floundering amusement park in suburban Seattle bought Bob-Lo hoping to turn it around. http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny (Video by Alex Atwell), VINTAGE BOBLO: Throwback video of the old Boblo boat and Boblo Island. Starting in the mid-1990s, however, it began a tumultuous phase that ultimately ended in its demise. 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. This is now the only ferry which goes to and from Boblo Island. The back of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford and built in 1913. 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). The ferry is run for the island residents, their guests, and prospective buyers of lots in the Triamico Development Affiliates marina resort community. However, there is a public restaurant, the Bob-Lo Island Beach House, on the west side of the island by the marina (ferry docks at the east side). 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.. These steamers are the oldest passenger steamers in the United States of America, currently anchored at the Great Lakes Steel Dock in Ecorse, Michigan. The rides were sold in 1994, but as we discovered via YouTube, a number of the park's structures still stand on the island. Two years later, very little had been done.[34]. Today, We take a look at the history and destiny of an iconic Detroit Metro Area former amusement park; Bob-Lo Island. I was 7 years old when the ferries stopped running in 1991. 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. Hard to believe it was an big destination, it seems too small to support an amusement park. There are no hotels. As I have written to the owner of the company that bought the island: You have no idea how much Boblo Island Amusement Park was to our society. Ray was there to celebrate her graduation from secretarial school with her classmates. BOBLO ISLAND - The echoes from the screams of delight have long faded from Boblo Island Amusement Park, the Cedar Point of Michigan for most kids growing up in our region. You know what I think, I have never been over there. As well as some great stories, it includes some good photographs from all of the islands incarnations! One of the three original blockhouses still stands on the southern end of the island. From 1898 to 1993, the park was a summer staple for Detroit families. My birthday is coming up, maybe my family can take me to the island. 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