Potentially, it could become a wedding reception hall or hotel. - 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. 2y Shelly Premer Neault Still closed. They are 1,405 square feet with a full basement. We went alot and when my family''s jobs had company picnic it would always be Bob Lo. Millions of Americans and Canadians share memories of riding the Swan Boats or the train that circled the park. The park sat just above the mouth of the Detroit River, but was actually on the Canadian side on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. Obscured in a small wooded area between the Dance Pavilion and the Terminal are the remains of the minature golf course: Consider this: I did not see another person during my entire afternoon exploration of the historic sites on the island, except for three young teenage girls I observed leaving the Resorts community pool and making their way down to the river alone, to the channel between Bob-Lo and Amherstburg, where, nestled next to the Terminal, is a very small sand beach where they swam. [18], In 1994, John Oram, an Iraqi immigrant to the United States who owned car stereo businesses, purchased the Boblo Island site. The restaurants 2013 grand opening was May 24th. There are two total bedrooms in this home. - LJ. The earliest historical reference, from 1718, describes 70 Native American families peacefully farming the fertile land. Known as Boblo Amusement Park, it was wildly popular with American tourists throughout much of the 20th century until it closed in 1993. i need a boblo island abandoned amusement park date pic . 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. [26] KPMG found there was no money left to continue supplying basic services. So when we went to the Island, we took a cab to the downtown docks to catch the first boat out and then we would return on the last boat. The island is a five-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario, and 18 miles from Detroit. "It's not the exact layout of Boblo Island," Kevin says in the documentary. It had e. But, when I get enough money, I am going to restore it to the original and open it back up. 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). The park closed in 1993 as a result of poor management and attendance was shrinking because of other parks like Cedar Point. Given that the island was known as the Boblo Island Amusement Park from 1898 1993, Id say, overall, it was a pretty successful run. By 1910 the first amusement park rides, the carousel, ponies and a dancing pavillion were available. 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. The park was closed for the 1933-1934 seasons due to the Great Depression. The Boblo boats took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit River to Boblo Island Amusement Park. We also traveled from past to the present on the island, which was a must-visit destination for families for decades. [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. A tri-plex home. These luxury dwellings were erected. A lamp posts once used to illuminate the amusement park at night. 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. In the distance is a building featuring dozens of condos. Its entrance is at Vernon Boulevard and Main Street in Astoria. I agree. Residents of the small community live among acres and acres of nature, just steps from water. Claireoffered their own form of entertainment. Built all the way back in 1898, the Boblo Island Amusement Park was a shining beacon of wholesome fun. The park was closed for the 1933-1934 seasons due to the Great Depression. Michelle, I interpret Roys use of the phrase mega-millionaires as being in service of describing the island developers, not the residents. It was one of the most popular places to dance in the 1920s. Between my concerns for the submerged rocks of the river and the mortar of history I was climbing over, I thought, what a wonderful place this island would be to explore if you were a kid or teenager and what a nightmare it poses for parents or grandparents of those explorers! - Bonnie, Oh! It is slated to include a luxury hotel, international shops & restaurants, a 107-berth boat dock, and a pier large enough to accommodate lake cruise ships along with The S.S. . One of the more high-end homes on the north end of Boblo Island, Ontario. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. The island is owned nearly in its entirety by Windsor developer Dominic Amicone through his Bob-Lo Island development company. Page 51", "Historic Boblo boats land role in Transformers 4", "Boblo Island boat owners hopeful for restoring of damaged boat: What's next for the SS Ste Claire? Over four decades, later, on July 30, 2011, I spent an afternoon on Bob-Lo. I dont think it is sad at all! 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. [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 boat was taken to Toledo on Tuesday. When was the last time yousailed down the Detroit River toBob-Lo Island, to summertime? 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 men's entrance is to the left. Plant life around the old Space Needle observation tower. I did notice, however, the last time we went the island had gone downhill quite a bit. . "I have all the amenities of city life that I need within walking distance in Amherstburg, and all the amazing amenities the island life brings me.". My husband is from The Island is now stripped on most of anything that would resemble an amusement park. 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! I found this very useful for Information! Wild grapevine has made it to the second floor balcony of the gallery. Really sad. Each held about 2,500 passengers. Along with homes, there are also property lots for sale in which people can build homes on. Remember, the island is in Canada, so you can't just cross over from the U.S. and dock there. This is actually only about half of the full-size basement which has been fitted with windows and electricity for add-on bedrooms. I can only imagine the dangers of the dilapidated buildings, to say nothing of concerns about strangers. When did Boblo boat stop running? With a blast of the big steam whistle, lines were cast off, and the 20-mile voyage began, taking about 80 minutes. Gloomy days sometimes deserve black and white treatment. I, too, went there every year as a child from Detroit. "For people who don't know, Boblo was an island amusement park that . 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. - Mellissa M. Sources: BobloSteamers.com, Water Winter Wonderland. With probably more than a bit of clean-up and reconstruction, it would make a wonderful venue for a wedding reception!!! The ship in mid-swing. Several Detroit organizations held annual picnics on the island. Can you go over to the island any time? One such an example is Boblo Island Amusement Park initially opened on Bois Blanc Island in Ontario in 1898. By each step it became more clear that this was left for dead a long time ago. Clair and the SS Columbia. She was one of the first residents of Boblo Island. 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). The Human Spinning Rotor or simply "The Rotor" was invented by a German scientist, Ernst Hoffmeister, and was financially supported by businessman Carl Friese. After coming aboard, visitors could look down from the main deck into the engine room, where powerful shafts and cams slowly warmed up. 525 55 shares Like Most relevant Ryan Hance How long ago did this place close and why did it close down? It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. 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. 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). However, due to lack of demand, the park closed in 2001 and never reopened. An island in Amherstburg, Ont. By Claire and the SS Columbia? Each historical society serves as a bead on a rosary linking current and future generations to the past, acts as a tool to support prayers of keeping the memories alive, keeps a link to the human roots of a distinctive place that has meant many things to many people over the years. . [32], Boblo's Scootaboats, which were very similar to well known Bumper Cars, were a popular ride. The juvenile coyote was gone in another blink of the eye. Feb 11, 2022 - One of my favorite memories as a child. I was just in Amherstburg Sunday May 27,2013. It is now an expensive, gated housing community with a private clubhouse. 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). The people of Detroit, Michigan characterized it as that city's Coney Island. 2023 Detroit Historical Society. The island has quite an interesting history. 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