If youre interested, check out Patrick Livingstons book Summer Dreams: The Story of Bob-Lo Island, published by Wayne State University Press in 2008. Id built up this image of perfectly cut green grass, flowers, water slides and party halls, but what I saw when I stepped onto the old white dock was far from the oasis I was told about. Opened in 1898, Boblo Island was one of North America's. Big changes for Sugar Island, good changes-it has made the drinking & partying boating groups unable to overtake the island.It was not safe. My twin daughters, now 35, remember, but my son, 28, will never know. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. [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. The ferrys were known as "Bob-Lo Boats" and held about 2,500 passengers each. Well I would say as a resident (who by the way is not a mega millionaire), that we dont mind having company on the island and share it with those who want to come out. 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. British troops captured 60 people and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. Along with homes, there are also property lots for sale in which people can build homes on. This is the observation area which would rise to the top. For more than a century, Bob-Lo Island had belonged to Ontario Province. BOBLO ISLAND - The echoes from the screams of delight have long faded from Boblo Island Amusement Park, the Cedar Point of Michigan for most kids growing up in our region. Baths. 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. Check out recent photos from one of the Boblo boats. Bob-Lo Island Beach House Restaurant 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). You can also visit Boblo.ca. Just read one of the many postcards you can find online from people back in the day. Such a sad and difficult ending to such a WONDERFUL PLACE. I wouldnt identify the owners in this suburban retreat as millionaires, but the island has been many things to many people over the centuries: the Ojibwe, the Ottawa, the Potawatomi, and the Wyandot all used the island before it was christened Bois Blanc. Later it was: a camp for European explorers, the site of a French Catholic mission, within reach of a British fort, headquarters for the Shawnee chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812, an invasion site for Canadian patriots during the Upper Canada Rebellion, and more recently, a picnic spot and a dance venue, all before the rise and decline of the amusement park. [1] Screamer, a double corkscrew; Nightmare, an indoor all-dark ride; and Sky Streak, a steel out-and-back design, were its three roller coasters. A sign leads residents and visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island. what a fun and exciting place. Visit Boblo.ca for information about living on the island. The east side of the island is now home to residential property, marinas, a restaurant and more. Abandoned Boblo Island Amusement Park is a former amusement park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. A tennis court sits next to a home on the island. If anyone has Meade Gougeon's cell number, seriously, call him. A miniature railroad was built around the island in the 60s, along with a upgraded dock area. Once known as Bois Blanc Island, Boblo lies on the Detroit River on the Canadian side. In June 1945, Sarah Elizabeth Ray and 12 other female workers involved in the war effort (and referred to as "girls" during the legal proceedings) took part in a sponsored trip to Boblo Island. Save. By Edward Pevos of MLive - epevos@MLive.com. In fact didn''t go as much as I would of liked to. It disappeared for the same reasons like Marineland of the Pacific, and the park in Long Beach. It's docked in New York. The earliest historical reference, from 1718, describes 70 Native American families peacefully farming the fertile land. Author: Michael R Stoller Jr CC BY-ND 2.0 Though not all is lost. 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. By 1742, a French mission among the Hurons was established. [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. Courtesy of the Detroit Historical Society, Photographer Joe Clark. The operations ended in 1993. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this site. Many of the other rides are still entertaining guests at parks in Texas, Maryland, British Columbia, and Mexico. Story by Edward Pevos of MLive Once home to a popular amusement park from 1898 to 1993, Boblo Island in Ontario is now home to residential property, marinas, a restaurant and more. Nessel calls on DTE, Consumers to issue automatic power outage credits after storm. The plan is to restructure the whole island and populate it with luxurious houses. Please dont judge us without knowing us! Built in the early 1900s, the SS Columbia and SS Ste. Boblo Boats: A Detroit Fairy Tale If the boat looks familiar, it is not your imagination. Plus it was a place where the 400-pipe, 4-meter high, self-playing orchestra was housed. The Bois Blanc Lighthouse built in 1836; its lamp room was destroyed in 1954 when vandals started a fire. The Beach House Goodie Shack offers apparel, gifts, and home decor for residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday. On the far side of the ride, people wait in line. Boblo Island was very special. Ive been talking to friends who also loved Boblo and I am going to do further study. 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. We live on the east shore of Grosse Ile, we would love to take our boat to eat at the restaurant. RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd. - 585. 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. The price is around $500k. Claire provided . The 16mm film is from around 1960. The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario. I found this very useful for Information! I loved going there as it was much smaller than Cedar Point so riding the rides didnt take so long. It is sad, Cheryl. OBSCURIST TOURIST 025 - Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. 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). The island is about 2.5 miles long, 0.5 mile wide and 272 acres in size. Hard to believe, but for the first time in 124 years, there is no such place as Boblo Island. His legacy died when the company came in and took over the park. Gone are the roller coasters, but there are plenty of. Anyone remember how much fun the dance floor was and how beautiful the boats were. With probably more than a bit of clean-up and reconstruction, it would make a wonderful venue for a wedding reception!!! http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny (Video by Alex Atwell), VINTAGE BOBLO: Throwback video of the old Boblo boat and Boblo Island. Boblo Island Timeline from the Detroit News, "Bob-Lo Excursion Co. v. Michigan, 333 U.S. 28 (1948)", "Boblo amusement park purchased by U.S. firm", "Park yours for $9 million: Owner says sellany development OK", "Boblo remains viable business, observer says", "Boblo Island gets no nibbles, no takers, says realtor", "Bad news rains on financially troubled Boblo", "Michigan investors unlikely to appeal Boblo ownership", "Boblo tradition seems safer with Seattle owner", "Dance band on the Titanic: Boblo's last tangle", "Former Boblo partner sues ex-partners over sale", "Boblo's roller-coaster saga ends: Piece by historic piece, popular park dismantled", "Boblo's heyday not forgotten: New owner has ties to area", "New Boblo owner offers few details to packed house", "Boblo Island to get 52-home development", "Oram outlines plans for Boblo Island's condominium project", "Boblo in receivership: Island awash in $19M in red ink", "Boblo adrift in red ink: Receiver KPMG finds no money left", "Boblo rising from the dust: New ownership infuses elite island community with optimism", "Amherstburg reminisces after Boblo Island tower demolished", Boblo Island Dance Hall Story from the Detroit News, "Detroit Free Press: Former Boblo Island music machine may draw up to $2.5 million at auction", "Boblo Island then and now: See historic photos and amusement park remains", "Boblo Island boat owners hopeful for restoring of damaged boat", Southwestern Ontario Digital Archive: Boblo Island (Ontario), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boblo_Island_Amusement_Park&oldid=1114994535, Tourist attractions in Essex County, Ontario, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 9 October 2022, at 09:00. - Bonnie, Oh! Claire, built in 1910. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. Instead, the island and steamships were purchased by the Browning family. Comments Off on why did boblo island close; June 9, 2022; why did boblo island close A powerhouse that supplied electricity to the nearby Carousel which is no longer there.
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