why did boblo island close

I know the kids and people of this generation are definitely looking forward to more developments. The Boblo boat took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit river to Boblo Island Amusement Park. Its too bad they couldnt have it ready for this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary. 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. My husband is on the Grosse Ile Historical Society BoardI have pictures of Sugar Island in its heyday. The restaurants 2013 grand opening was May 24th. 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). The goal of developers is to someday populate the entire island with neighborhoods. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. The Columbia is undergoing restoration. The Park which eventually became Boblo Amusement Park got its first ride, the 178 48-animal Mangels-Illions Carousel. It's located in Amherstburg, Ontario. Neither will my grandchildren. 11 Properties from $2,300. I know had I been related to this man, I would have kept his memory alive. Boblo Boats: A Detroit Fairy Tale Or not. [20] Oram then leased and shut down the White Sands boater's hangout adjacent to the park site, citing trespassers but infuriating boaters; as a result, the lease was dropped within weeks. The only access was via one of two ferries from Detroit or Amherstburg, the SS Ste. We also traveled from. Comments Off on why did boblo island close; June 9, 2022; why did boblo island close Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. One to pick up, and one to return people. Gone are the roller coasters, but there are plenty of haunting remnants from Boblo Island Amusement Park, which delivered thrills and family fun from 1898 to September 30, 1993. We toured the Ste Claire in 2015 while restoration efforts were ongoing before fire gutted it on July 6, 2018. Review. The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide. The Boblo Island boat, S.S. Ste Claire, was destroyed on Friday morning after a massive fire on the ship. You will find even more information in: Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island, by Patrick Livingstone (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2008); Bob-Lo: An Island in Troubled Waters, by Annessa Carlisle (Royal Oak, MI: Momentum Books, 2005); and for more photographs, Bob-Lo Revisited, by Bill Rauhausuer (Chicago: Lorentz, 2003). Although there was a bike rental business near the marina and Beach House Restaurant on the west side of the island (the ferry dock is on the east side of the island), it was not open for business on the beautiful summer weekend day I was there, so I wouldnt count on being able to rent a bike on the island. Boblo Island Amusement Park ran from 1898 to 1993. You'd be hard-pressed to find much evidence of those rides now. . The island features many new homes and plenty of land to build on. Change). Bob-Lo was such a fun place and figures so prominently in many peoples childhood summertime memories! What I remember about Bob-Lo Island specifically, the entrance coming off of the boat, one of the last times I went the Simpsons were the mascots and I met Bart and Homer. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. [29], The tower for the Space Needle ride was demolished in 2021, with Amicone citing "health and safety concerns". An incident in 1902 caused a man-made mini earthquake on the island. Newly restored in the Spring of 2013 by the residents of the community, they now offer Blockhouse tours on most Sundays from 1pm - 4pm. For many people the best ride of the day was on the Bob-Lo Boat that took visitors to the island. Here are some we found on various blogs and forums: I was one of the last generations of people who were able to enjoy Bob-Lo island amusement park. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. 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. Boblo was originally named Bois Blanc by the French, but residents couldn't pronounce the name. [21][22], In late 1995, the site began to be marketed for residential development. I dont know about draft/depth info or dock fees, not being a boater, myself, and having instead taken the ferry from Amherstburg, Ontario. The first amusement park rides were moving by 1910. The ferry is a short four minute ride to the island. This is the remnants of an old putt-putt golf course. Twin villa homes on the north end of the island. . why did boblo island close Menu fatal shooting in los angeles today. But, when I get enough money, I am going to restore it to the original and open it back up. What remains of the boat after the fire is currently docked at Riverside Marina in Detroit. In 1973, the Thunder Bolt coaster was built, which drew long lines. We live on the east shore of Grosse Ile, we would love to take our boat to eat at the restaurant. what a fun and exciting place. It is sad, Cheryl. This year, I hear theres an ice cream concession, Captain Bobs on the island (http://www.rivertowntimes.com/?s=Captain+bobs&submit). During the mid-19th century, the island was sold in parcels to several private owners who built cottages, stables, and trails. 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). He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. After the short ferry ride, residents simply drive right onto the island onto Boblo Island Blvd. You can also see the large stage and the curtain with big holes in it. 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? 2,000. There appears to be no such organization, which may not be so surprising. What a wonderful goal, Andrew! Why did Boblo Island shut down? These steamers are the oldest passenger steamers in the United States of America, currently anchored at the Great Lakes Steel Dock in Ecorse, Michigan. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. The rides were sold to other amusement parks around the country. So sad. The Browning Family sold the island in 1979, which led to several owners in the following years, including IBC and AAA of Michigan. 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. [17], In March 1994, the rides were dismantled and sold off piecemeal to the Pacific National Exhibition and a series of U.S. theme parks, a moment that confirmed the "worst fears" of Malden Township officials; the amusement park paid 25 percent of its taxes. They are 1,405 square feet with a full basement. It was awesome place. Given that the island was known as the Boblo Island Amusement Park from 1898 1993, Id say, overall, it was a pretty successful run. The Bois Blanc Lighthouse built in 1836; its lamp room was destroyed in 1954 when vandals started a fire. 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 Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. Ray was removed from the boat because she was not white, enforced according to a Bob-Lo company policy "excluding so-called 'zoot-suiters', the rowdyish, the rough, and the boisterous, and it also adopted the policy of excluding colored. caliyah mcnabb photos; singapore new first class; grilled chicken with marinated tomatoes and onions; common entry level jobs for aerospace engineering; sims 4 reshade presets 2021; why did boblo island close. 272 acres. These are the remains of some of the washrooms. I would bring back the lost souls and add life to the island again. independence high school football; fadi sattouf vivant; what animal is like a flying squirrel; james justin injury news; cynthia davis obituary cooley high; throggs neck st patrick's parade 2021; Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. McLeans Mansion (Holly Lea): The historic building that was saved by the local community from demolition, The ruins of Richmond Castle: one of the oldest Norman fortresses in England. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The park has been closed since 1993 DETROIT - Say the name "Boblo" to anyone who grew up around Michigan, and their eyes will light up. Along with homes, there are also property lots for sale in which people can build homes on. After 1796, British interests controlled the island and it was the staging point for the first local action in the War of 1812. We dont save anything for history any more. In a sentence, I think, the world around POP changed. We were participating in a totally sanctioned, transportation-provided-by-the-school-district Ninth-Grade Skip Day. We would have boarded either the Ste. One of these survived to become a souvenir stand for the amusement park. The island was also an important stop on the Underground Railroad to Canada, which worked to help escaped slaves leave the country. My husband is from The 16mm film is from around 1960. Some of the most popular rides were "The Nightmare," "Sky Streak, "Screamer," and "Wild Mouse.". [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. Opened in 1898, Boblo Island was one of North America's. [18], In 1994, John Oram, an Iraqi immigrant to the United States who owned car stereo businesses, purchased the Boblo Island site. Gone are the roller coasters, but there are plenty of. In fact didn''t go as much as I would of liked to. [2] 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). 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. Our world today, especially with the pandemic, needs what we all once had back in this society. By 1742, a French mission among the Hurons was established. Competition came in, e.g., Sea World. There were several trips from Detroit each day, but only two stops in Wyandotte. 0 Comments Comments Exploring and discovering those remains is a thrill in its own right. "Yeah, she's 110 years old, but she's well-built and she survived," said boat co-owner, Ron Kattoo. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. Only one blockhouse remains today. You can visit the island now, as I did in July of 2011 (all the photos accompanying the blog posting above were taken on that visit), by taking a small car ferry across a narrow strip of the Detroit River from the Bob-Lo Discovery Centre in Amherstburg, Ontario. Two years later, very little had been done.[34]. "We are at the point in restoration to where it was a steel skeleton structure ready to be rebuilt." [16] Moodenbaugh later sued Benaroya and others for attempting to sell the park while he lay in a "virtual coma". Following the war, British forces garrisoned at Fort Malden in Amherstburg, across the river from Bois Blanc, and strengthened their position by building three blockhouses on the island. I wish that the people that bought this island could restore it. The operations ended in 1993. I enjoyed BobLo so much as a child-we boarded the boats in Wyandotte. The railroad began operating on the island in 1956. 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. To rebuild would be one of lifes pleasures. After coming aboard, visitors could look down from the main deck into the engine room, where powerful shafts and cams slowly warmed up. One cant imagine a happy centennial celebration for this historic building . [10], With no buyers materializing, Norton Auctioneers of Coldwater, Michigan, was retained to sell the property at auction on February 10, 1993. Huntington. (LogOut/ The Columbia's ship keeper, Sam Buchanan, said the St. Clair has "a prominent role" in. All Rights Reserved. Check out recent photos from one of the Boblo boats. A shack which held dynamite used for dredging the near-by channel was fired into by a group of boys out hunting or fishing. The place just went completely downhill. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. Claire or the Columbia, but no cellphone cameras documented that embarkation and carrying a Kodak Instamatic simply would not have been cool. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. 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. 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. ), Thank you so much for the great information. The restaurant is open to residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday. Over the years it grew into a unique island amusement park, with a midway and dozens of rides. From the U.S. (departing from Detroit) your routeto the ferry would looklike this: The ferry boat captain had to take the Detroit Rivers strong current into consideration in maneuvering the ferry boat to the dock. 2023 Detroit Historical Society. Claire, seen in 2016. [9] The loss of the Detroit ferry service dented attendance severely in the 1992 season, which along with poor weather caused the park to miss its attendance goal. 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. $19 million in debt, John's brother Randy forced Boblo Island into court-appointed receivership in 2004. If the boat looks familiar, it is not your imagination. The company had just been sold to a group from Texas who ran a small park. Building the lighthouse on the island instead of the shoal presented several advantages: a shorter tower could be used due to the . Why did Boblo Island close? Clair and the SS Columbia. [2] After Michigan found Bob-Lo guilty and fined the company, Bob-Lo filed a lawsuit against the state, Bob-Lo Excursion Co. v. Michigan, 333 U.S. 28 (1948). The website is that of Bob-Lo Island Custom Home Builder, the developer of the Marina Resort Community, Boblos current rendition. [15] Moodenbaugh had hired Liberal MPP Remo Mancini to help market the park. Nessel calls on DTE, Consumers to issue automatic power outage credits after storm. Quite disappointing that we never went back, management was doing a terrible job. The Whip was installed in 1920, which was a huge hit, essentially paying for itself. - Marva, I am 63 years old and I remember Bob-lo so well. This is the living space inside one of the single family homes. Wild grapevine has made it to the second floor balcony of the gallery. - Kathy G. We kids were able to run up and down the stairs on the boat and go to the dance floor. Soon after this, the British obtained the surrender of the American fort in Detroit without a shot being fired. Other islands Ivevisited have their own historical societies or have joined with other nearby islands to form a historical society: Johnson Island Preservation Society, Lake Erie Islands Historical Society, St. Clair Flats Historical Society, Beaver Island Historical Society, the Grosse Ile Historical Society, and Friends of Bell Isle (now a part ofthe newBelle Isle Conservancy). [6] In February 1992, the park was put up for sale for US$9 million, half of its 1988 purchase price, though it committed to opening it for that summer. You can just picture all of the kids having fun smashing into each other in their cars. Unclaimed. A lamp posts once used to illuminate the amusement park at night. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. This is a small area of the white sand beach open to residents of Boblo Island. Bring a bike or plan to hike as the only streets to accommodate cars are in the development. [1] Other smaller ferries served the park from Amherstburg and Gibraltar, Michigan, which were located closer to the park on the Detroit River. The price is around $500k. RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. - 585. A street sign shows people where they are as they arrive on the island. Visitors could travel between rides and attractions using a mini railroad. The SS Ste. In 1991, the two Boblo boats were sold and smaller ferries took people from Gibraltar, MI., to the island, as well as to and from Amherstburg, Ontario. Ex-MSU dean sues interim president for leading alleged plot to remove him. Ken Haddad is the digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com. Interestingly, the islands history starts long before the amusement park was even planned. The kitchen and dining space of the tri-plex. It was on a small island in the Detroit River at the mouth of Lake Erie. 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). - Mellissa M. Sources: BobloSteamers.com, Water Winter Wonderland. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. About Boblo Island Amusement Park: Many of the other rides are still entertaining guests at parks in Texas, Maryland, British Columbia, and Mexico. The old Dance Hall sits majestically abandoned on the center of the island. Boblo Island opened in 1898. Ive been talking to friends who also loved Boblo and I am going to do further study. 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. The park has been closed since 1993, but the legend of Boblo is still strong. Find the best offers for your search boblo island. Boats are docked in the Boblo Island Marina, located on the western shore of the island. The little that remains of the park is covered with vegetation or has been demolished. An island in Amherstburg, Ont. Over four decades, later, on July 30, 2011, I spent an afternoon on Bob-Lo. [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.