If I had mega-millions I would invest in restoration of the island and the amusement park. 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. | 5401 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48202. Why not this man who gave everyone joy in life with their families? Take a look at the link below as we take you a journey through what was once Boblo Island Amusement Park, right up to its emerging transformation. Now surrounded by tall grass and weeds, the park's historic entertainment theater remains near the center of the island. The restaurant just opened for the season on the 24th, this past Friday. For First Time in 124 Yrs, There is No Such Place as Boblo Island 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. Yes, Kathy, the Bob-Lo Island Beach House Restaurant is an easy walk. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. - LJ. Restoration of the Ste Claire had been going on for a few years. By their very nature, amusement parks are places of fun, relaxation, excitement, and recreation. 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. The middle section of the island was developed as a park. It is a story told in a new movie that premiered last week in Detroit called "Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale". Over four decades, later, on July 30, 2011, I spent an afternoon on Bob-Lo. 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. I know had I been related to this man, I would have kept his memory alive. The SS Ste. Whatever happened to Boblo Island? (Detroit, Grosse Ile: amusement A private community is now being built on the island. Larry Benaroya, his associate, and his Northern Capital took control of the property; Mancini was fired, and the ownership group put it back on the market in January 1994. http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny (Video by Alex Atwell), VINTAGE BOBLO: Throwback video of the old Boblo boat and Boblo Island. 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; Embark on a CRUISE FROM DETROIT for the first time in decades, Stay the night at this ghostly-looking MICHIGAN CASTLE, SECRET VINTAGE COKE MUSEUM inside a Michigan 50's diner. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. 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. . You can still see the words "Boblo Island" on the Space Needle, 25 years after the park's closing. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). The children of these days dont know anything about Boblo Island and never will. what occupation did the boblo boat workers have I do hope that someone will come along and restore the park back to its prime, so we can get families and the community back together again, and we can share our memories with the generations to come. What a shame, all gone because some mega millionaires wanted more money. The Columbia's ship keeper, Sam Buchanan, said the St. Clair has "a prominent role" in. It was just announced in The Windsor Star that the dance pavilion is now for sale. Update: A couple of them were partially restored and used during the filming ofTransformers 4. 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 last screams of joy could be heard from the little island of fun 25 years ago as the Cedar Point of Michigan closed for the final time. I am so sad every time I think about Bob Lo. In fact didn''t go as much as I would of liked to. Today the community on this island is known as the Marina Resort Community. Why did Boblo Island close? Edit: I hope it's just a tracker issue but it seemed to be working fine. Once known as Bois Blanc Island, Boblo lies on the Detroit River on the Canadian side. A powerhouse that supplied electricity to the nearby Carousel which is no longer there. 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 . For 81 years, she ferried generations of families as they experienced a Windsor-Detroit right of passage: an island getaway to the beloved Boblo Island amusement park. It had e. Bois Blanc Island was where Shawnee Chief Tecumseh, a Native American warrior, decided to place his headquarters during the War of 1812. By each step it became more clear that this was left for dead a long time ago. By 1742, a French mission among the Hurons was established. 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. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The British also built a lighthouse in 1836 which operated until 1959. How to live on Boblo Island: Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. . One of the more high-end homes on the north end of Boblo Island, Ontario. 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. The Sky Streak Ride, for example, was moved to Selva Magica, a theme park in Mexico, and the Nightmare was initially moved to Six Flags Houston where it was known as the Mayan Mindbender, only to be moved once again to a theme park in Amarillo, Texas. Here are some of the homes and what life is like on Boblo Island today. What remains of the boat after the fire is currently docked at Riverside Marina in Detroit. Abandoned Southern Ontario amusement park is an explorer's dream - blogTO [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. 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. This is the remnants of an old putt-putt golf course. There is a dock at the restaurant on the island, Sue. The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide. Two twin villa homes on the north end of the island. Soon after this, the British obtained the surrender of the American fort in Detroit without a shot being fired. Bleacher seating remains intact in the abandoned theater. The price is a little over $300k. [3] The company had claimed it could exclude her because it was a private concern operating in another country and that neither Michigan nor any other state had authority to regulate commerce with Canada (a foreign country); the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Michigan Supreme Court, which had upheld the jurisdiction of the state's anti-discrimination provisions and found against the company. Claire and the SS Columbia offered ferry services to all those wishing to travel to Boblo Island. I agree, Jennifer, very sad. A documentary about Detroit's faded Boblo Island history weaves a It is so cool to see the old dock piers and the beach is sand. [25], American investors were scared away after the September 11 attacks, which hurt the financial outlook for the development. She was one of the first residents of Boblo Island. In its early years, [1] Henry Ford financed a dance hall that was rumored to have been designed and built by famed Detroit architect Albert Kahn,[31] but was later determined to have been designed by John Scott. No Sinking Feeling: A Review of the Boblo Island Documentary The best time was 8 hours and 42 minutes turned in by 17-year old Dorothy de Caussin and 15-year old Ida Mutnick, both of Detroit. You know what I think, I have never been over there. Plant life around the old Space Needle observation tower. I found this very useful for Information! In my days they were very comparable although I think Cedar Point was a little larger. The 106-year-old classic excursion steamer Ste. And I stood and looked across the river, and what I remember is no longer there, and Im 54 years old . I agree. Can you go over to the island any time? He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. Opened in 1898, Boblo Island was one of North America's. My birthday is coming up, maybe my family can take me to the island. [2] Parts of that tower still stand. I can only imagine the dangers of the dilapidated buildings, to say nothing of concerns about strangers. 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.