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. how much was bitcoin in 2010. pets4homes boost advert 9, Juin, 2022. smugglers inn steak soup recipe; Author: Michael R Stoller Jr CC BY-ND 2.0 Though not all is lost. Michelle, I interpret Roys use of the phrase mega-millionaires as being in service of describing the island developers, not the residents. It was the site of a conflict in 1838 during the Upper Canadian Rebellion, where 50 attackers were locked in one of the three blockhouses that had been built on the island. The place just went completely downhill. I would make sure my friends knew all the history of Bob-Lo. 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. 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. Although Boblo Island Beach House is pretty good. 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? The little that remains of the park is covered with vegetation or has been demolished. There is a dock at the restaurant on the island, Sue. The park, which. The man that made it did it to bring families together and spend time with their children. The dock is gone and the passageway is mostly surrounded by weeds and overgrown grass. It's just a stone's throw from historic Amherstburg, Ontario, which is a 30-minute drive from Windsor. Today it is overgrown: The Powerhouse, which looks like small limestone chapel, that provided electricityto the Carousel: The Dance Pavilion a 35,000 feet steel and limestone building designed by Albert Kahn and John Scott and completed in 1913. The island is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide - just 272 acres. As a child I went to Bob-Lo Island every summer from the Detroit Side of the island. But there is new life on the island 23 years after the closing of the amusement park. The Columbia's ship keeper, Sam Buchanan, said the St. Clair has "a prominent role" in. 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 children of this time will never get to enjoy what we did when we were children. Private cottages and government property remained at the north and south ends of the island. The SS Ste. It is the remnant of a place where river boats took passengers to an amusement park on a Canadian island just to the south western end of the Detroit River. The restaurant is open to residents and visitors Thursday through Sunday. why did boblo island close Menu fatal shooting in los angeles today. The Detroit-Wayne County Port Authority found a way to end a 100-year agreement that gave the Moroun-owned Ambassador Port Co. sweeping control, but questions remain about the speed at which the deal gained approval of the public authority's board, transparency about the deal and what it means for the port going forward. 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. Boblo Island (correct name: Bois Blanc) is an island in the Detroit River on the Canadian side of the border and is part of Amherstburg, Ontario. [1] The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the Detroit River. Captain Bob's Ice Cream & Coffee Cabin is located on the western shore of Boblo Island, and is open for residents and visitors from Thursday through Sunday. For more than 85 years, the Boblo Island Amusement Park was famous for being served by the Steamer Ste Claire and the Steamer Columbia excursion boats that could hold about 2,500 passengers each. During the 1920s and 1930s, swimming contests were held that went fromBelle Isleto Bob-Lo, covering 24 miles. Colorful adirondack chairs surround a campfire pit near Captain Bob's. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. The north side of Boblo is a growing private community, with numerous homes and condominiums. The Columbia is undergoing restoration. Not a single lot was sold between 9/11 and May 2004. St. Clair Shores (1950-60s) & never went to the park. http://bit.ly/2cIo6Ny. One such an example is Boblo Island Amusement Park initially opened on Bois Blanc Island in Ontario in 1898. 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. "Living on the island feels like being on vacation everyday," said Gena Boschin, a former Tennessee resident who lives on the island and works in Amherstburg. Only about a third of a milea 5 to 10-minute walk, depending on your speedfrom the ferry dock on the west side of the island, east on Bob-Lo Island Boulevard, to the marina on the other side of the narrow island. These steamers are the oldest passenger steamers in the United States of America, currently anchored at the Great Lakes Steel Dock in Ecorse, Michigan. 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. 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. The Bob-Lo boats, once looked upon as part of the attraction of going on a trip to Bob-Lo were later being looked at as time wasted that could have been spent at the park. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. In fact, one of those . 6 reviews #1 of 2 Restaurants in Pointe Aux Pins American Pub. [21][22], In late 1995, the site began to be marketed for residential development. 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. Restoration of the Ste Claire had been going on for a few years. Over the years, the crowds going to Bob-Lo on the boat would were increasingly loud and rude and some people avoided going to Bob-Lo to avoid the noise. I agree with Maureen. Clair and the SS Columbia. You can still see the words "Boblo Island" on the Space Needle, 25 years after the park's closing. Not fair to blame millionaires when often it is a corporation that can run out money after 5 or 6 bad years. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. I can still feel the sun and the wind as one of the great boats took us to the Island. Here's what we saw as we recently explored the amusement park area. This is the structure that once housed the Boblo Island Amusement Park bumper cars. Boblo Island is preparing to greet more than 200 new residents with construction soon to begin and new roads in the south end of the island recently completed . Bois Blanc Island, commonly called Boblo Island, is an island in the Detroit River on the Canadian side of the border and is part of Amherstburg . 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). 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). Boblo Island closed for essentially the same reasons as many other urban amusement parks closed. Boblo Island is an Island in the Detroit River located directly west of Amherstburg, Ontario, on the Canadian side of the border. He wore a variety of colorful clothing, including a large hat with 'Captain Bob Lo' on the peak, and was typically equipped with binoculars for navigation purposes. Visitors could travel between rides and attractions using a mini railroad. This is the remnants of an old putt-putt golf course. This is the living space inside one of the single family homes. Well later that same summer (1972) I went with 2 of my brothers, one older and one younger with our Mother. 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; It's docked in New York. Many years later, the ferries were sold but the service was continued by a number of different, smaller boats. Which may not be surprising, given that its been many thingscamp for European explorers, fortress, picnic spot, dance venue, amusement park, retreatto many people over the centuries beginning with four Algonquin and Iroquoian tribes:the Ojibwa (Chippewa), Ottawa, Potawatomi and the Wyandot (Huron)one source claims the original name of the island was Etiowiteedannenti, a name bestowed by the Wyandotand followed by: The first recorded passage to the island, which was named Bois Blanc (White Woods), by the French dates from 1670. Poison ivy now grows in the ring of mature trees in front of the Lavatory building, where I imagine the men in hatsretiring for a smoke while they await their dates inflapper attireto emerge from The Ladies Room.. - Mellissa M. Sources: BobloSteamers.com, Water Winter Wonderland. Bleacher seating remains intact in the abandoned theater. The island is mainly a place where people can live in serenity. Anyone can go on the island via the ferry for a fee of $10 round-trip, but Boblo isn't a typical tourist destination. We toured the Ste Claire in 2015 while restoration efforts were ongoing before fire gutted it on July 6, 2018. I know had I been related to this man, I would have kept his memory alive. I was born and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan. I loved going there as it was much smaller than Cedar Point so riding the rides didnt take so long. If the boat looks familiar, it is not your imagination. [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. A model of existing and future residential properties and harbor on Boblo Island at the Boblo Discovery Centre in Amherstburg, Ontario. . [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. People should not be making assumptions about the island residents. The classic boats stopped running in 1991 and the amusement park was shuttered after the 1993 season. You support the mega millionaires who dont care about anything else in life except their bank accounts. Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. Check out recent photos from one of the Boblo boats. [10], With no buyers materializing, Norton Auctioneers of Coldwater, Michigan, was retained to sell the property at auction on February 10, 1993. The fire could not be contained and destroyed the historic mahogany woodwork and upper decks. The Detroit river is very short - it merely connects Lake Huron with Lake Erie. He was 20 years older than me. . Ex-MSU dean sues interim president for leading alleged plot to remove him. Find useful information, the address and the phone number of the local business you are looking for. What a wonderful goal, Andrew! The ferry runs every 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Only one blockhouse remains today. Did you work on both the SS Ste. Most people just drive their vehicles onto the ferry from Amherstburg and are home in a few minutes. Peaking through the windows, you can see it's being used for storage. That is what the park was supposed to be about. I grew up visiting the island and Im hoping to return to explore it again someday. I can only imagine the dangers of the dilapidated buildings, to say nothing of concerns about strangers. - LJ. The case reached the U.S. Supreme Court and resulted in a notable 1948 decision construing the scope of the commerce clause. [14], The 1993 season proved bumpy and was marred by miscues including disputes with island residents and the Canadian Coast Guard, compounded by the leader of Enchanted Parks, Michael Moodenbaugh, being seriously injured and breaking his spine in a car accident in Toledo, Ohio, in September. In fact didn''t go as much as I would of liked to. The steamers, the Ste. More waterfront dining. You can also see the large stage and the curtain with big holes in it. A tennis court sits next to a home on the island. The last day of "Oldies Week" is today (at least for now), and the response from the Woody Boater community was fantastic. Over the roughly two-and-a-half decades that have passed since the closure, many of the most telltale signs of the park have faded away, including the ultra spooky-looking ferry boats that used to. Built in the early 1900s, the SS Columbia and SS Ste. 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. Its too bad they couldnt have it ready for this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary. During the Rebellion of 1837, "patriots" from the U.S. invaded the island in 1838. Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. Claire V can fit up to 16 vehicles as well as pedestrians and cyclists. Places like fort custer, MI and fort sheridan, illinois, all sold to profiteers. His legacy died when the company came in and took over the park. You can also visit Boblo.ca. She was one of the first residents of Boblo Island. One to pick up, and one to return people. He's been with WDIV since 2013. Before I rode on it on the Island I had gone to a local fair and 3 other girls and I rode together on it and we laughed and really enjoyed it. 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 . - Kathy G. We kids were able to run up and down the stairs on the boat and go to the dance floor. It was like a little cruise. - 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. Claire or the Columbia, but no cellphone cameras documented that embarkation and carrying a Kodak Instamatic simply would not have been cool. Once built, the dance hall was the second largest in the world, able to accommodate no less than 5,000 dancers. Boblo Island today: 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! Ironically, after Canada abolished slavery in 1793, the island became a rest stop for escaped slaves traveling the Underground Railroad. The 16mm film is from around 1960. The Boblo Island amusement park closed in the 1990s after a century of operation. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. A retreat for the wealthy, amidst dilapidated remnants of history and ghosts of the past, with nature ever encroaching. Very little remains, physically, of the amusement park attractions, but what we did find is fascinating, as you'll see in the link below. How to get to Boblo Island: My husband is on the Grosse Ile Historical Society BoardI have pictures of Sugar Island in its heyday. Its maybe a five-minute ride, no more than 10 minutes with the docking. Answer: 90% of the time, it's because the parks don't have enough money and/or business to keep up with running costs, and the parks simply close and are left to rot. Big changes for Sugar Island, good changes-it has made the drinking & partying boating groups unable to overtake the island.It was not safe. . Claire, seen in 2016. Mon-Wed 8:30 - 7:00 Thu-Fri 8:30 - 7:00 Sat 8:30 . Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale YouTube Channel The park closed in 1993 as a result of poor management and attendance was shrinking because of other parks like Cedar Point. 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. People can dock their private boats there, or take a four-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario. The Boblo Island Detroit dock building can be seen on the Detroit, Michigan side of the Detroit River. This is now the only ferry which goes to and from Boblo Island. The Boblo Island boat, S.S. Ste Claire, was destroyed on Friday morning after a massive fire on the ship. By each step it became more clear that this was left for dead a long time ago. The east side of the island is now home to residential property, marinas, a restaurant and more. Unclaimed. 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). Boblo Island was very special. Many of you remember taking the journey to the top for a breathtaking view of the park. The beautiful wood flooring should never have been ripped out. The Bois Blanc Lighthouse built in 1836; its lamp room was destroyed in 1954 when vandals started a fire. 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. Kathleen Saylors. Bois Blanc Island, Pointe Aux Pins, MI 49775 +1 231-634-7100 + Add website + Add hours.
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