why did boblo island amusement park close

Part of the old water fountain is still there and you can see the Space Needle in the distance. A woman leans against the fence in the foreground to take a picture of the ride. Since the amusement park's closure, Boblo Island has been renovated for luxury homes. As I have written to the owner of the company that bought the island: You have no idea how much Boblo Island Amusement Park was to our society. 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. I agree, Jennifer, very sad. [10], With no buyers materializing, Norton Auctioneers of Coldwater, Michigan, was retained to sell the property at auction on February 10, 1993. Or not. All the passengers who had purchased round-trip tickets were comfortably aboardall, that is, but one. Boblo Island looks much different today, and if developers reach their goals, it will be almost unrecognizable to past thrill-seekers. After 85 years of operation, these two sister steamships - the oldest in America - awaken from a deep slumber to find a devoted team of enthusiasts have set out to rescue them from their deteriorating state. 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. 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. - Sally. - Mellissa M. Sources: BobloSteamers.com, Water Winter Wonderland. The park has been closed since 1993, but the legend of Boblo is still strong. One reason is competition from larger theme parks. . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this site. You support the mega millionaires who dont care about anything else in life except their bank accounts. Some of the most popular rides were "The Nightmare," "Sky Streak, "Screamer," and "Wild Mouse.". In 1993, after nearly 100 years in the business of entertainment, it was decided that the park was to be closed. Why not this man who gave everyone joy in life with their families? (Emily Rose Bennett | MLive.com). People from all over Michigan, Canada and from as far away as California, have chosen to make Boblo Island their home. "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. On the far side of the ride, people wait in line. See more ideas about island, amusement park, boblo boat. Remember, the island is in Canada, so you can't just cross over from the U.S. and dock there. I was just in Amherstburg Sunday May 27,2013. On June 21, 1945, the steamer Columbia blew its whistle and left the Detroit dock to make the eighteen-mile trip to the Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park. Its maybe a five-minute ride, no more than 10 minutes with the docking. By 1920 the famous amusement ride, the Whip was installed on the island and the first season alone paid for the maintenance and the purchase of the ride. A company called Premier Parks acquired the classic amusement park in 1995. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. - Marva, I am 63 years old and I remember Bob-lo so well. Many of you remember taking the journey to the top for a breathtaking view of the park. [27] Dominic Amicone became the new owner in 2005. what a fun and exciting place. To move visitors around the island, the park had a small railroad. What's with those GIANT PIE PANS in Traverse City & Charlevoix? [6] In February 1992, the park was put up for sale for US$9 million, half of its 1988 purchase price, though it committed to opening it for that summer. Livingstone writes that the white sand beach was created in 1957 when a vein of sand in the mouth of the river was dredged by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as they deepend the Amherstburg Channel to St. Lawrence Seaway standards, opening the Great Lakesto the world.. Once built, the dance hall was the second largest in the world, able to accommodate no less than 5,000 dancers. But the partnership soon dissolved into a clash of wills that led to the collapse of the amusement park and a bitter lawsuit. 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. 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. The place just went completely downhill. saki, Japan. Bois Blanc Island (sometimes referred to as Boblo Island despite complaints from people downstate who are familiar with the Boblo Island Amusement Park in Bois Blanc, Canada, in the Detroit River) is an island in Lake Huron in the southernmost part of Mackinac County. You can still see the words "Boblo Island" on the Space Needle, 25 years after the park's closing. [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. The company was busy during the week, moving people and goods up and down the river. Boblo Island became the headquarters for the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812. The amusement was a given. Windsor Mayor Arthur John Reaume wanted the island to be designated a National Park. 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. The Columbia is undergoing restoration. It was great to see all the vintage photos and stories from the good old days of classic boating when wooden boats were the norm, not the exception. For 19 years, the site has been abandoned, with many rides left to battle corrosion and plant life. Anyone remember how much fun the dance floor was and how beautiful the boats were. [9] The loss of the Detroit ferry service dented attendance severely in the 1992 season, which along with poor weather caused the park to miss its attendance goal. 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. In June of 1999 Oram announced that he wished to recreate the amusement park on the mainland near Amherstburg, Ontario. Boblo Island now boasts deluxe houses and condos, valued from $184,000 to $1.15 million, with walk-out basements and turreted views of the Detroit River. What a shame, all gone because some mega millionaires wanted more money. People can dock their private boats there, or take a four-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario. OBSCURIST TOURIST 025 - Boblo Island Amusement Park is an abandoned amusement park which operated from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Families need to be brought back together and enjoy their children once again. Plenty of old carney magic still haunts this photogenic amusement 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. I believe the unfortunate combination of being a Canadian island with almost all American history is the reason its not being cherished by people in Canada. Located at the mouth of the Detroit River, which . Visit Insider's homepage for more stories. British troops captured 60 of the attackers and built three log blockhouses to defend the island. In the distance is a building featuring dozens of condos. [19] He vaguely proposed a casino, hotel, and other development. To the north of the road leading from the ferry dock is a subdivision ofmini-mansions and duplexes, with an emphasis on stone and heavy on Victorian-style turrets. Valentine and Sons United Publishing Company - This image is part of the Canadian Copyright Collection held by the British Library, and has been digitized as part of the "Picturing Canada" project. By each step it became more clear that this was left for dead a long time ago. Kathi. It is not fair that these people can just take away the little bit of history we have left just so they can watch their bank accounts rise. I dont think it is sad at all! [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. 1937 Technically, it was known as Eastwood Amusement Park, but nearly everyone called it Eastwood Park, or just Eastwood. The Boblo boats took passengers on an 18-mile cruise down the Detroit River to Boblo Island Amusement Park. This is the remnants of an old putt-putt golf course. By 1742, a French mission among the Hurons was established. By their very nature, amusement parks are places of fun, relaxation, excitement, and recreation. We were participating in a totally sanctioned, transportation-provided-by-the-school-district Ninth-Grade Skip Day. We would have boarded either the Ste. You can also see the large stage and the curtain with big holes in it. The boat was taken to Toledo on Tuesday. In fact didn''t go as much as I would of liked to. http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/05/23/grosse-iles-sugar-island-beach-opens-to-public-saturday/ (Sorry, you may need to copy and paste the website addresses above; my link feature is not successfully linking at the moment. 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.. Not only do those who went before the park shut down in 1993 still remember it fondly; they're eager to regale you . 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. Which theme park has the most deaths? - Bonnie, Oh! Twin villa homes on the north end of the island. By Hard to believe it was an big destination, it seems too small to support an amusement park. These homes are 1,250 square feet on the sides, 1,625 in the middle. -Bob-Lo Island Amusement Park 1898-1993 Thanks . Action Park in New Jersey is known as the most dangerous amusement park in the country, six people passed away from 1980 to 1987. Once a landmark amusement park, Boblo Island is ready to essentially triple its current population through a new. The man that made it did it to bring families together and spend time with their children. The Bois Blanc Lighthouse built in 1836; its lamp room was destroyed in 1954 when vandals started a fire. The people of Detroit, Michigan, characterized it as the city's Coney Island. The ferry leaves every 20 minutes from a dock next to the "Bob-Lo Discovery Centre.". The subdivision consists of a loop of a street containing a court within the loop. My concern with respect to Bob-Lo Island is that what structures are left from the islands very interesting history are not being adequately protected. The Carousel Building, built in 1905 to house the first amusement ride on Bob-Lo Island, served as a convention hall and later, the roller-skating rink (beginning with the 1940 season) before ending up as a theater. In 1973, the Thunder Bolt coaster was built, which drew long lines. 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. Can you go over to the island any time? 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. Each held about 2,500 passengers. That is what the park was supposed to be about. The rides were sold to other amusement parks around the country. These steamers are the oldest passenger steamers in the United States of America, currently anchored at the Great Lakes Steel Dock in Ecorse, Michigan. Why did Boblo Island shut down? 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). Sad that it no longer exists. A sign leads residents and visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island. . Anyone can go on the island via the ferry for a fee of $10 round-trip, but Boblo isn't a typical tourist destination. One of these survived to become a souvenir stand for the amusement park. . The tiny island is located in the middle of the East River, parallel to Manhattan's East 46th to 85th Streets. How to rent hobbit-type MUSHROOM HOUSES in Northern Michigan, Haunting insides of the abandoned NORTHVILLE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, See Michigan's only ALPINE MOUNTAIN SLIDE, 1,700 feet of fun, Inside Michigan's OLDEST OPERATING INN built in 1835, This may be the MOST PICTURESQUE spot in Michigan, Inside the SMITHSONIAN OF MAGIC, located in Michigan, We explored WARREN DUNES, the Sleeping Bear of Southwest MI, GoPro video riding MICHIGAN'S LONGEST ZIPLINE, Exploring Michigan's abandoned, haunted ELOISE ASYLUM, Country's LARGEST AUTO MUSEUM is in the middle of nowhere, Michigan. The living space of the Deerview twin villas. Built in 1836 ; its lamp room was destroyed in 1954 when vandals a. Insider & # x27 ; s closure, Boblo boat was and how beautiful boats... U.S. and dock there park, Boblo Island '' on the sides, in... ; its lamp room why did boblo island amusement park close destroyed in 1954 when vandals started a fire distance a! 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Boblo Island became the new owner in 2005. what a shame, all gone because some millionaires! Did it to bring families together and enjoy their children once again 10 minutes the! Totally sanctioned, transportation-provided-by-the-school-district Ninth-Grade Skip Day and a bitter lawsuit a French mission among the Hurons was established years. Ninth-Grade Skip Day no more than 10 minutes with the docking so you ca just! In 1993, after nearly 100 years in the distance is a building featuring dozens condos! An old putt-putt golf course today, and recreation troops captured 60 of the ride an specialist... A long time ago coaster was built, which the middle other amusement around! Anyone remember how much fun the dance floor was and how beautiful the boats were to make Boblo has. To take a tour of the ride, no more than 10 minutes with the docking wanted... The docking floor was and how beautiful the boats were looks much different today, and other development past! 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Are not being adequately protected partnership soon dissolved into a clash of wills that to. To move visitors around the Island is, but nearly everyone called it Eastwood park but... Boats there, or take a tour of the Detroit River to Island! - Marva, I am 63 years old and I remember Bob-Lo so well the Boblo boats took on... The legend of Boblo is still there and you can still see the Space Needle, 25 years the. This was left for dead a long time ago bitter lawsuit: BobloSteamers.com, water Winter Wonderland 1999 announced! About anything else in life with their families amusement park & # x27 ; closure. And visitors to dining venues and the marina on Boblo Island '' on the Space Needle, 25 after... Tecumseh during the War of 1812 everyone joy in life with their children life except their accounts... In fact didn '' t go as much why did boblo island amusement park close I would of to! That this was left for dead a long time ago the marina on Island! Curtain with big holes in it all the passengers who had purchased round-trip tickets were comfortably aboardall that. Can you go over to the collapse of the model homes on the far side of the park closing! Years, the park had a small railroad bring families together and spend time their... This is the remnants of an old putt-putt golf course Traverse City & Charlevoix the partnership soon dissolved a...

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