11.20.2009

HISTORY OF BOBLO ISLAND IN DETROIT MICHIGAN


Boblo Island Amusement Park
was a theme park which ran from 1898 until its closure on September 30, 1993.

Sky Streek and White Sands

The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, which is part of the Province of Ontario, Canada. It lies just above the mouth of the Detroit River. The people of Detroit characterized it as that city's Coney Island.


The Nightmare, Falling Star, Wild Mouse, Sky Streak, Screamer, ferris wheel, zoo, and the carousel were the signature attractions. To move visitors around the island the park constructed a mini railroad. The rides were sold off in 1994. Henry Ford also had a dance hall designed and built by Albert Kahn. It was second largest in the country, holding 5,000 dancers at full capacity.


The island is a five minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario, and 18 miles from Detroit, Michigan. For more than 85 years, the park was serviced by the SS Ste. Clair and the SS Columbia ferry boats. The Boblo Island Amusement Park was famous for those two steamers, which went between Detroit and the island. They could hold over 2,500 passengers each. The ferry boats were sold off in January 1996.









S.S. Columbia


10 comments:

NANCY THIBODEAU said...

"I loved that place! The boat ride to the isle was the a lot of fun. "

SCOTT WILSON said...

"Wow....talk about a flashback, i went there in 1982 with our Jr High class, that video on your site really brought back some good memories of going there and the boat trip over :)"

Anonymous said...

Have many fond memories of trips to the island with school groups or just Paul I before it closed. I heard it was now home to homes and condos for people with money just wanting a quick week end place away from the city. Anyone know if this is correct?

Peggie Pent said...

"OMG Memory Lane for sure. My grandmother used to take us on the boat to the Island very often and my cousin broke my front tooth there by hitting me in the mouth by mistake while I was drinking out of a coke bottle!"

Kevin Sykes said...

Fond Memories for sure

Scott Goins said...

"Went when I was really young, like 4-5 then remember for the longest time wanting to go back but never getting there..."

Anonymous said...

OMG Boblo Island , I love that place. Only 2nd best to Ohio's Cedar Point in the 80's. But we adventured to the island every year and sometimes twice. The boat ride was lots of fun, with a live D.J. dancefloor & gift shops. Too bad the place is no longer standing. The Michigan area needs places like this to keep it's residents Home, & Keeps Visitors visiting!

Anonymous said...

Went there in the early '60's, one of my best memories of my trips to see grama and grandpa in Detroit.

Anonymous said...

In the early 60's the kids in the neighborhood would take the Boblo boat with whoever's parent was available. I liked to sit by the dance floor and watch the couples dance. Then when I was around 10 or 11 we got a boat! My dad would fill it up with kids and we'd dock on Boblo and have a blast all day! Some of the rides were a little sketchy with accidents happening but there was not a summer that went by that I missed the train ride!

Anonymous said...

Boat trip was the best, and roller skating once you got there....of course, I was there WAY before you were!

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