Fire destroys former Boblo boat at Detroit marina - The Detroit News Group offers rare glimpse at efforts to restore historic Boblo Island From the top deck of the SS St. Claire, passengers watch the SS Columbia (built in 1902). It was a terrible idea to put a roller coaster in there. Its very sad because growing up that was all everyone talked about was Boblo Island, and all the amazing memories. My husband is on the Grosse Ile Historical Society BoardI have pictures of Sugar Island in its heyday. 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. Rule 2 does not apply when replying to this stickied comment.. Rule 2 does apply throughout the rest of this thread.. What this means: Please keep any "meta" discussion directed at specific users, mods, or r/conspiracy in general in this comment chain only.. Unclaimed. Boblo's miniature railroad was perfect for those interested in something more leisurely than the island's rollercoaster. Bayview Mackinac Thread | Page 7 | Sailing Anarchy Forums 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. 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. By Edward Pevos of MLive - epevos@MLive.com. Huntington. One of those blockhouses remains, and is open for touring. The dock is gone and the passageway is mostly surrounded by weeds and overgrown grass. A lamp posts once used to illuminate the amusement park at night. In 1949, the island was threatened by bankruptcy. A documentary about Detroit's faded Boblo Island history weaves a But, when I get enough money, I am going to restore it to the original and open it back up. The biggest surprise during my visit to Bob-Lo came from a different sort of stranger than the type Id been envisioning when I was watching the girls swim in the river. why did boblo island close bridge deck construction He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. Locate and compare 4423631-Canada-Inc in Colchester Country ON, Yellow Pages Local Listings. I was just in Amherstburg Sunday May 27,2013. 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). A combined force of British and Native American soldiers in canoes surprised and overpowered an American vessel en route to Detroit. Claire and the Columbia, as well as their Detroit docks, had been divested a few years earlier in 1991. A sign leads residents and visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island. The classic boats stopped running in 1991 and the amusement park was shuttered after the 1993 season. Anyone remember how much fun the dance floor was and how beautiful the boats were. why did boblo island closeconservation international ceo. Its a shame that Boblo Island had to close. 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. It was one of the most popular places to dance in the 1920s. In 1898, the Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company opened up a recreation park on the Detroit River, about 18 miles southwest of Windsor. Why not this man who gave everyone joy in life with their families? 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. A model of existing and future residential properties and harbor on Boblo Island at the Boblo Discovery Centre in Amherstburg, Ontario. The Boblo Island Beach House Restaurant is located along the western shore of the island by the marina. To rebuild would be one of lifes pleasures. I know the kids and people of this generation are definitely looking forward to more developments. Millions of Americans and Canadians share memories of riding the Swan Boats or the train that circled the park. The last day of "Oldies Week" is today (at least for now), and the response from the Woody Boater community was fantastic. It broke my heart to see the way everything looks these days. The British also built a lighthouse in 1836 which operated until 1959. The ferry runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 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. The island is a five-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario, and 18 miles from Detroit. I am only 12. Ex-MSU dean sues interim president for leading alleged plot to remove him. - 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. The only other way to get to the island is to dock a private boat. Now surrounded by tall grass and weeds, the park's historic entertainment theater remains near the center of the island. It was the site of a conflict in 1838 during the Upper Canadian Rebellion, where 50 attackers were locked in one of the three blockhouses that had been built on the island. It disappeared for the same reasons like Marineland of the Pacific, and the park in Long Beach. The park was closed for the 1933-1934 seasons due to the Great Depression. Over the years, the park began to decline and wane in popularity. Some of the most popular rides were "The Nightmare," "Sky Streak, "Screamer," and "Wild Mouse.". You do it for other people. Claireoffered their own form of entertainment. Two years later, very little had been done.[34]. what occupation did the boblo boat workers have I wish that the people that bought this island could restore it. I can only imagine the dangers of the dilapidated buildings, to say nothing of concerns about strangers. why did boblo island close. Plus it was a place where the 400-pipe, 4-meter high, self-playing orchestra was housed. Ironically, after Canada abolished slavery in 1793, the island became a rest stop for escaped slaves traveling the Underground Railroad. What a shame, all gone because some mega millionaires wanted more money. Share. See all (4) [11] Roger Fachini, a 40-year-old engineer for General Dynamics and owner of a waterpark in Utica, Michigan, placed the winning $3.8 million bid and proposed redevelopment after two years,[12][13] but Boblo's creditors turned it down; after the deposit cheque bounced, they took $600,000 less in the bid from Enchanted Parks of Seattle, owners of the Wild Waves Theme Park near that city. boblo photos on Flickr | Flickr 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? Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. British troops captured 60 of the attackers and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. If the boat looks familiar, it is not your imagination. 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. They transformed the island into an amusement park, including a coaster, Ferris wheel, fun house and more. Boblo Island (correct name: Bois Blanc) is an island in the Detroit River on the Canadian side of the border and is part of Amherstburg, Ontario. 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 first thing I did when I got back home was to search for a Bob-Lo Historical Society on the Internet. [14], The 1993 season proved bumpy and was marred by miscues including disputes with island residents and the Canadian Coast Guard, compounded by the leader of Enchanted Parks, Michael Moodenbaugh, being seriously injured and breaking his spine in a car accident in Toledo, Ohio, in September. Really sad. The back of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford and built in 1913. After the short ferry ride, residents simply drive right onto the island onto Boblo Island Blvd. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Abandoned Boblo Island Amusement Park is a former amusement park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. Poison ivy now grows in the ring of mature trees in front of the Lavatory building, where I imagine the men in hatsretiring for a smoke while they await their dates inflapper attireto emerge from The Ladies Room.. By each step it became more clear that this was left for dead a long time ago. I loved going there as it was much smaller than Cedar Point so riding the rides didnt take so long. Comments Off on why did boblo island close; June 9, 2022; why did boblo island close Boblo Boats Documentary Hitting Select Theatres in Detroit This Fall [VIDEO], Metallicas 72 Seasons Global Premiere Where You Can Watch in Michigan, Detroit Chef Named Chopped Champ Donates $10K Prize, Tri-County Ninja & Collectibles in Fenton Approved for Liquor License, Compete in Cedar Point Trivia from the Comfort of Your Michigan Home, Michigan Has Enforced the Death Penalty a Remarkably Low Number of Times, Celebrate 21 Years Of The Machine Shop In March, 13 Suggestions to Fill Flints Empty Sears in Genesee Valley Mall. One island. Here's what we saw as we recently explored the amusement park area. It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. 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). Peaking through the windows, you can see it's being used for storage. While incapacitated in hospital, he lost legal control of island. The subdivision consists of a loop of a street containing a court within the loop. A powerhouse that supplied electricity to the nearby Carousel which is no longer there. One of the three original blockhouses still stands on the southern end of the island. Boats are docked in the Boblo Island Marina, located on the western shore of the island. 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. 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. The plan is to restructure the whole island and populate it with luxurious houses. 2023 Detroit Historical Society. Author: Michael R Stoller Jr CC BY-ND 2.0 The reasons for its closure were numerous, ranging from rising maintenance costs and poor management to stronger competition from the nearby, more attractive Cedar Point Park. Claire, which used to take passengers to Boblo Island, sits on the Detroit River in August 2015. It is a story told in a new movie that premiered last week in Detroit called "Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale". In 1993, after nearly 100 years in the business of entertainment, it was decided that the park was to be closed. But there is new life on the island 23 years after the closing of the amusement park. Boblo was originally named Bois Blanc by the French, but residents couldn't pronounce the name. The Detroit river is very short - it merely connects Lake Huron with Lake Erie. If youre interested, check out Patrick Livingstons book Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island, published by Wayne State University Press in 2008. My most vivid memory is the Sky Diver ride. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. This is the living space inside one of the single family homes.
West Wing Actors On Psych, Articles W