(Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Mike! Yes, I list http://www.boblo.ca as a source where one can get more information in my book Great Lakes Island Escapes: Ferries and Bridges to Adventure (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2016). You support the mega millionaires who dont care about anything else in life except their bank accounts. Smudged by the past, we nevertheless feel a redemptive twinge in the final aerial shot as Dr. Kattoo hoists the flag over Claire's mended hull. He was 20 years older than me. Residents of the small community live among acres and acres of nature, just steps from water. Boater can also dock at the Boblo Wharf on the west side of the island, to eat at the Bob-Lo Island Beach House Restaurant. There were several trips from Detroit each day, but only two stops in Wyandotte. The plan is to restructure the whole island and populate it with luxurious houses. If I had mega-millions I would invest in restoration of the island and the amusement park. The rides were sold to other amusement parks around the country. When I was riding my bike on a trail that runs through the middle of the island, I came upon a T-intersection buried amidst tall, tall grass, with the Carousel Building on my left and the Powerhouse on my right. The first amusement park rides were moving by 1910. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Beginning in 1952, Joe Short, a man of diminutive physical stature, was employed as 'Captain Boblo', and traveled on the boats entertaining passengers of all ages. As a child I went to Bob-Lo Island every summer from the Detroit Side of the island. Boblo Island is accessible by a 16-car ferry that departs from the dock next to the Bob-Lo Island Discovery Centre, which is at 340 Dalhousie St., Amherstburg, ON. Its amusement rides were sold in 1994. This photo shows people boarding the SS St. Claire (built in 1910) bound for Boblo Island. Restoration of the Ste Claire had been going on for a few years. You do it for other people. The 375-foot Sky Tower, rusting and visible from the Powerhouse and most of the island, as well as from other locations on the river like Grosse Ile: And a few other buildings, like the open one that may have housed the dodgem cars built in 1928, and another with more shattered windows, the Souvenir building. I grew up visiting the island and Im hoping to return to explore it again someday. Or not. [15] Moodenbaugh had hired Liberal MPP Remo Mancini to help market the park. RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. - 585. I worked on the Boats in 1980. Although the name will seem new to most of us, it's actually the original historic name of the island that was home to the historic . We also traveled from. 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. For more than a century, Bob-Lo Island had belonged to Ontario Province. Some of the most popular rides were "The Nightmare," "Sky Streak, "Screamer," and "Wild Mouse.". During the 1920s and 1930s, swimming contests were held that went fromBelle Isleto Bob-Lo, covering 24 miles. Over the years, the park began to decline and wane in popularity. Once built, the dance hall was the second largest in the world, able to accommodate no less than 5,000 dancers. [27] Dominic Amicone became the new owner in 2005. In fact, one of those . Its a shame that Boblo Island had to close. I agree. It is a wonderful place with beautiful heritage and history, that is why I chose to live here. 3 F 1 1/2. In 1973, the Thunder Bolt coaster was built, which drew long lines. British troops captured 60 people and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. The Detroit river is very short - it merely connects Lake Huron with Lake Erie. The Columbia is undergoing restoration. The place just went completely downhill. 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 Boblo boat took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit river to Boblo Island Amusement Park. . One to pick up, and one to return people. How to live on Boblo Island: We live on the east shore of Grosse Ile, we would love to take our boat to eat at the restaurant. My husband is on the Grosse Ile Historical Society BoardI have pictures of Sugar Island in its heyday. The Whip was installed in 1920, which was a huge hit, essentially paying for itself. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court and resulted in a notable 1948 decision construing the scope of the commerce clause. Built in the early 1900s, the SS Columbia and SS Ste. That is what the park was supposed to be about. A tri-plex home. Claire, which used to take passengers to Boblo Island, sits on the Detroit River in August 2015. It was on a small island in the Detroit River at the mouth of Lake Erie. This is private property and the doors are chain locked. Check out the tracker on the SE side of Boblo! My husband is from Claire and the Columbia, as well as their Detroit docks, had been divested a few years earlier in 1991. One island. If anyone has Meade Gougeon's cell number, seriously, call him. When was the last time yousailed down the Detroit River toBob-Lo Island, to summertime? The ship, docked at Riverside Marina on the Detroit River, caught fire after 11 a.m. on. Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. Its too bad they couldnt have it ready for this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary. In the years leading up to its closure, many of the rides were sold to satisfy debts. Unclaimed. 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. Share. '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. Find useful information, the address and the phone number of the local business you are looking for. My birthday is coming up, maybe my family can take me to the island. Anyone remember how much fun the dance floor was and how beautiful the boats were. Boblo Island, originally names Bois Blanc (White Woods in French) opened as a Park in 1898. Update: A couple of them were partially restored and used during the filming ofTransformers 4. Enjoy 559 gold coast 777777 w Colorful adirondack chairs surround a campfire pit near Captain Bob's. 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. About Boblo Island: This amusement park, while once the delight of both kids and adults until the early 90s, has been abandoned for more than two decades. (From 2018: Old Boblo Island boat catches fire at Detroit marina), BOBLO BOAT TOUR: Take a video tour of the historic boat that traveled the Detroit River for 81 years. It is now an expensive, gated housing community with a private clubhouse. Its maybe a five-minute ride, no more than 10 minutes with the docking. Visiters to the marina can visit the small gallery of photographs and paintings of water scenes or rent bikes to explore the island (although what appeared to be the bike rental building was closed on this July Saturday, so perhaps not). 2,000. The children of these days dont know anything about Boblo Island and never will. Plant life around the old Space Needle observation tower. This is now the only ferry which goes to and from Boblo Island. Author: Michael R Stoller Jr CC BY-ND 2.0 Though not all is lost. 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. Comments Off on why did boblo island close; June 9, 2022; why did boblo island close The man that made it did it to bring families together and spend time with their children. I can only imagine the dangers of the dilapidated buildings, to say nothing of concerns about strangers. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. You can take a tour of the model homes on Boblo Island on Saturdays and Sundays with an island specialist by calling 519-736-1111. At the end of the turbulent 75 minutes, Boblo Boats brings us up-to-date on restoration efforts for both ferries while simultaneously summoning an unanticipated moral force. You can still see the words "Boblo Island" on the Space Needle, 25 years after the park's closing. What Occupation Did The Boblo Boat Workers Have? 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. With probably more than a bit of clean-up and reconstruction, it would make a wonderful venue for a wedding reception!!! 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). 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 folks from the residential areas use golf carts toget to the community pool in the center of the island, just a stones throw from the almost hundred-year-old, still standing Dance Pavilion: And here is where things get interesting. Competition came in, e.g., Sea World. The ferry leaves every 20 minutes from a dock next to the Bob-Lo Discovery Centre. The ride takes about 5 or 10 minutes, instead of the hour it used to take whenone departedon the other side of the border. in subculturing, when do you use the inoculating loop cactus allergy symptoms We dont save anything for history any more. [28] However, a local housing slump meant little was developed. 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 . There are no hotels. A lamp posts once used to illuminate the amusement park at night. Photo courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society. Would love to know more about your experience working on the Bob-Lo boats. It is so cool to see the old dock piers and the beach is sand. The back of the 50,000-sq-ft building which was commissioned by Henry Ford and built in 1913. why did boblo island close. Yes, Kathy, the Bob-Lo Island Beach House Restaurant is an easy walk. Ironically, after Canada abolished slavery in 1793, the island became a rest stop for escaped slaves traveling the Underground Railroad. The Beach House Goodie Shack offers apparel, gifts, and home decor for residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday. The park has been closed since 1993, but the legend of Boblo is still strong.
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