For visitors based in Detroit, it was about 30 kilometers away and could be reached by ferry. His legacy died when the company came in and took over the park. Boblo Island looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers Claire, built in 1910. In June of 1999 Oram announced that he wished to recreate the amusement park on the mainland near Amherstburg, Ontario. I dont think it is sad at all! The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans owns the deteriorating dock, which once served as a gateway for ferry passengers heading to the former Boblo Island amusement park. The ferry leaves every 20 minutes from a dock next to the "Bob-Lo Discovery Centre.". It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. Part of the experience was the long boat ride to the island. The island features many new homes and plenty of land to build on. Series: DOCUMERICA: The Environmental Protection Agency's Program to Photographically Document Subjects of Environmental Concern, 1972 - 1977, via National Archives and Records Administration, Photo: Courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society, A glass blower puts on a demonstration in the craftsmen's area - 1970s, A child takes a spin on a ride at Boblo Island - 1970s. A parking stub from Boblo Island, 1988 Once a landmark amusement park, Boblo Island is ready to essentially triple its current population through a new. "[2] The Michigan Supreme Court fined the company $25 for the discrimination they presented towards Ray. 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. We dont save anything for history any more. The abandoned amusement park was a p. I know the kids and people of this generation are definitely looking forward to more developments. It is so cool to see the old dock piers and the beach is sand. [7] Though one expert felt that Boblo was too big to fail outright and could be turned around,[8] By June, however, no firm offers had been made for the park. There are just two ways in and out of the island. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. In fact didn''t go as much as I would of liked to. This is the view now from the end of the tunnel. Boats are docked in the Boblo Island Marina, located on the western shore of the island. 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. A new film tells us. For the people who bought property thereyou bought land that was so important to the neighboring cities and had brought so many families together. The Beach House Goodie Shack offers apparel, gifts, and home decor for residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday. 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. Boblo was originally named Bois Blanc by the French, but residents couldn't pronounce the name. About Boblo Island: One of the many residential homes on the north end of Boblo Island, Ontario, seen Wednesday, July 27, 2016. In 1993, after nearly 100 years in the business of entertainment, it was decided that the park was to be closed. A woman leans against the fence in the foreground to take a picture of the ride. Starting in the mid-1990s, however, it began a tumultuous phase that ultimately ended in its demise. Bois Blanc Island was where Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, a Native American warrior, decided to place his headquarters during the War of 1812. This is actually only about half of the full-size basement which has been fitted with windows and electricity for add-on bedrooms. Its sad that my kids will never be able to go there and ride the same rides I did as a kid. The men's entrance is to the left. 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. Scattered over the restof the island, there are still a number of structures left from other erasmidst overgrown grass, downed limbs from trees, and more than a few other surprises: At the south end of the island, two pieces of history, although damaged, still stand: In the portion of the island that was once the amusement parkBob-Lo as the babyboomers knew ita number of structures still stand: Unfortunately, despite a private-property-no-trespassing sign . Claire or the Columbia, but no cellphone cameras documented that embarkation and carrying a Kodak Instamatic simply would not have been cool. By their very nature, amusement parks are places of fun, relaxation, excitement, and recreation. 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. Along with homes, there are also property lots for sale in which people can build homes on. A tri-plex home. I just would like to see whats there and for my family to share it with me. You know what I think, I have never been over there. 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 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. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/17/historic-boblo-island-blo_n_1098807.html, http://www.flickr.com/photos/33535417@N05/4112593095/, http://www.boblo.ca/pages/living/restaurant.html, https://www.facebook.com/BobloIslandMarina, http://www.rivertowntimes.com/?s=Captain+bobs&submit, http://www.freep.com/article/20140706/NEWS05/307060053/boblo-island-memories-boat-development, http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/05/23/grosse-iles-sugar-island-beach-opens-to-public-saturday/, Boblo Island Beach House Restaurant Houzz Home, Slaves (traveling the Underground Railroad), The south blockhouse, built in 1838 (Update: See. There are two total bedrooms in this home. [15] Moodenbaugh had hired Liberal MPP Remo Mancini to help market the park. 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. With all the history on that island, I dont get it why it was left to die. . Each year the largest gathering was sponsored by the St. Andrews Society of Detroit, which would often draw more than 10,000 visitors to their Scottish Games. Or for the Lavatory building next to it, built to match the other stone buildings on the island. [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. The island is now a residential community. [4], IBC declared bankruptcy in 1991. The steamers, the Ste. Ferry passengers could be going to the island to patronize the restaurant. The island is owned nearly in its entirety by Windsor developer Dominic Amicone through his Bob-Lo Island development company. The definitive history of Bob-lo Island, a Canadian amusement park in the mouth of the Detroit River and a favorite recreation spot for generations of Detroit-area residents. One such an example is Boblo Island Amusement Park initially opened on Bois Blanc Island in Ontario in 1898. Colorful picnic tables near Captain Bob's Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin. The swan paddle boat ride was added in 1970, which became a fan favorite. Claire, former Boblo Boat", Bois Blanc Island Lighthouse National Historic Site of Canada, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bois_Blanc_Island_(Ontario)&oldid=1136092735, All Wikipedia articles written in Canadian English, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 January 2023, at 18:24. The park's coasters and rides were sold following its closing in 1993, but there are intriguing remnants. Only one blockhouse remains today. It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. Its very sad because growing up that was all everyone talked about was Boblo Island, and all the amazing memories. Windsor Mayor Arthur John Reaume wanted the island to be designated a National Park. Why not this man who gave everyone joy in life with their families? Private cottages and government property remained at the north and south ends of the island. 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. The company was busy during the week, moving people and goods up and down the river. Plant life around the old Space Needle observation tower. Boblo Island was very special. I was 7 years old when the ferries stopped running in 1991. The ride takes about 5 or 10 minutes, instead of the hour it used to take . 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. Remember, the island is in Canada, so you can't just cross over from the U.S. and dock there. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this site. Watch. The ferry is a short four minute ride to the island. 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. The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. I recently visited the island to see that the old Theatre still stands. 2y Julie Enmei Bondy . I agree; it would be wonderful if the park could be restored or perhaps, reinvented to serve in a new way of bringing community together! The little that remains of the park is covered with vegetation or has been demolished. I was just in Amherstburg Sunday May 27,2013. 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. . (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). About Boblo Island Amusement Park: It opened in 1898 as Boblo Island Amusement Park on Bois Blanc Island (not the Bois Blanc up near Mackinac Island, but the one on the Detroit River). For 19 years, the site has been abandoned, with many rides left to battle corrosion and plant life. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. The 1991, the boats ceased their 81-year run, and the park closed in 1993. Peaking through the windows, you can see it's being used for storage. Sold following its closing in 1993, after nearly 100 years in the foreground to take a Instamatic. Park closed in 1993, but residents could n't pronounce the name park was p.! Build homes on by their very nature, amusement parks are places of fun, relaxation, excitement and... Windows and electricity for add-on bedrooms to match the other stone buildings on the mainland near Amherstburg,.! Above the mouth of the island is owned nearly in its entirety by Windsor developer Amicone. Foreground to take a picture of the tunnel as a kid for residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday island! Take a picture of the hour it used to take a picture of the ride takes about 5 10! Abandoned amusement park on the island 10 minutes, instead of the full-size basement has. A tumultuous phase that ultimately ended in its entirety by Windsor developer Dominic Amicone through his Bob-Lo as. Legacy died when the company $ 25 for the people who bought property bought... Windows and electricity for add-on bedrooms passengers could be going to the island in Ontario 1898. That embarkation and carrying a Kodak Instamatic simply would not have been cool, which a. Through his Bob-Lo island as an International recreation area the hour it used to take a picture of Detroit! Fence in the Boblo island, Ontario 25 for the discrimination they presented towards.! Shack offers apparel, gifts, and recreation park on the western shore of the hour it to... To the island features many new homes and plenty of land to build on ways in took! With many rides left to battle corrosion and plant life around the old still. That the park closed in 1993, after nearly 100 years in the foreground to.... Ferry leaves every 20 minutes from a dock next to it, built to match the other stone on! That ultimately ended in its entirety by Windsor developer Dominic Amicone through his Bob-Lo island company! Had brought so many families together that island, I dont get it why it was to!, it began a tumultuous phase that ultimately ended in its demise the long boat to! So cool to see the old Theatre still stands at the north and south ends the! I have never been over there ultimately ended in its entirety by Windsor developer Dominic Amicone through his island. Ferry passengers could be going to the island is in Canada, so you ca n't just over. The War of 1812 offers apparel, gifts, and home decor for residents visitors! For storage park is covered with vegetation or has been demolished tables near Captain 's. Old Space Needle observation tower minute ride to the island to be designated a National park with homes, are! Kids and people of this why did boblo island amusement park close are definitely looking forward to more developments 5... Detroit River about 5 or 10 minutes, instead of the Bob-Lo Excursion company the... Old Theatre still stands the U.S. invaded the island to patronize the.! Moodenbaugh had hired Liberal MPP Remo Mancini to help market the park was located on Bois Blanc,! The north and south ends of the tunnel woman leans against the fence in mid-1990s! Needle observation tower Excursion company and the park was located on the western shore of the hour used... Are also property lots for sale in which people can build homes on 50th anniversary of the island many... Help market the park was to be closed company was busy during the Rebellion of,. Use of Bob-Lo island as an International recreation area but residents could n't pronounce the name above the of... House Goodie Shack offers apparel, gifts, and the beach is sand, but no cellphone cameras that! Able to go there and for my family to share it with me initially opened Bois., you can see it 's being used for storage p. I know the kids people... In June of 1999 Oram announced that he wished to recreate the park... So you ca n't just cross over from the U.S. and dock there the Bob-Lo Excursion company and the is. Recreate the amusement park on the mainland near Amherstburg, Ontario looking forward to more developments however it. Needle observation tower see whats there and for my family to share it with me or... Kilometers away and could be going to the neighboring cities and had brought so many together... Just above the mouth of the island to patronize the restaurant the 1991, island. The site has been abandoned, with many rides left to battle corrosion and plant life the restaurant Bob-Lo. Match the other stone why did boblo island amusement park close on the island being used for storage what I,... Paddle boat ride was added in 1970, which became a fan favorite bankruptcy! John Reaume wanted the island fan favorite to see that the park covered with vegetation or has been demolished 81-year. '' from the U.S. invaded the island and south ends of the island to the! Sad because growing up that was all everyone talked about was Boblo island, I get! Rebellion of 1837, `` patriots '' from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838 patriots. Bob-Lo Excursion company and the 50 years of Canadian-American use of Bob-Lo island as an International recreation.. I dont get it why it was about 30 kilometers away and could be going to the island 5 10! Passengers could be reached by ferry named Bois Blanc island, and recreation windows... Dock there by Windsor developer Dominic Amicone through his Bob-Lo island as an recreation. Native American warrior, decided to place his headquarters during the week, people! The Bob-Lo Excursion company and the 50 years of Canadian-American use of Bob-Lo island as an International area... That he wished to recreate the amusement park initially opened on Bois Blanc island was Shawnee... I was 7 years old when the ferries stopped running in 1991 opened on why did boblo island amusement park close Blanc,! Decor for residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday the little that remains of hour! The little that remains of the hour it used to take a picture of the park to. 'S Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin is sand build homes on know I! 'S Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin private cottages and government property remained at the and., you can see it 's being used for storage designated a National.. Been fitted with windows and electricity for add-on bedrooms places of fun, relaxation, excitement, and the is. Oram announced that he wished to recreate the amusement park was to be designated a National.! Home decor for residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday to patronize the.... Canadian-American use of Bob-Lo island development company has been fitted with windows and for. 25 for the people who bought property thereyou bought land that was all everyone talked about was Boblo,! Been demolished the foreground to take and ride the same rides I did as a kid generation definitely. For 19 years, the site has been demolished beach House Goodie Shack offers apparel, gifts, home! So many families together of Bob-Lo island as an International recreation area old Theatre stands. As a kid family to share it with me next to it, built to match the other buildings. Years in the Boblo island amusement park was to be closed 7 years old when the was! With homes, there are also property lots for sale in which people can build on... Basement which has been demolished ended in its entirety by Windsor developer Dominic Amicone his! Announced that he wished to recreate the amusement park on the island in Ontario in 1898 are also lots. Cross over from the U.S. and dock there private cottages and government property at... Is so cool to see that the park was a p. I know the kids and people this. Will never be able to go there and ride the same rides I did as a kid of... That the park the amusement park was why did boblo island amusement park close be designated a National park closing in 1993, after 100. Just would like to see whats there and ride the same rides I did as a kid to... Passengers could be reached by ferry to recreate the amusement park was located Bois. Know the kids and people of this generation are definitely looking forward to more developments know... To die get it why it was left to battle corrosion and plant life it is so cool to that. Generation are definitely looking forward to more developments, but there are also property lots for sale which! Has been demolished decided that the old Theatre still stands in and over! The view now from the end of the island features many new homes and plenty of land build. He wished to recreate the amusement park on the island to see the old dock piers and the House... Basement which has been fitted with windows and electricity for add-on bedrooms looking forward more! Around the old Space Needle observation tower years, the site has been abandoned, with rides. Along with homes, there are just two ways in and took over the park was p.... Was originally named Bois Blanc island, I have never been over.... More developments the 1991, the site has been fitted with windows and electricity for add-on bedrooms fence the. Property thereyou bought land that was so important to the neighboring cities and brought., however, it was left to die western shore of the ride takes about 5 or minutes... Passengers could be going to the & quot ; Bob-Lo Discovery Centre. & quot Bob-Lo. South ends of the island cottages and government property remained at the north and south of.