Exploring The Docking Destinations Of Boblo Boats

Boblo Island was an amusement park located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, at the mouth of the Detroit River. The island was only accessible by boat, with the Boblo Boats—SS. Ste. Clair and the SS Columbia—running hourly to and from the island. The boats would dock at Bishop Park in Wyandotte, Michigan, and the passageway still exists, showing Gibraltar, Michigan, to the left and Amherstburg, Ontario, to the right. The dock is now gone, and the passageway is mostly surrounded by weeds and overgrown grass.

The dock's location

Boblo Island was an amusement park located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, at the mouth of the Detroit River, which separates Detroit, Michigan, from Canada. The island is a five-minute ferry ride from Amherstburg, Ontario, and 18 miles (29 km) from Detroit.

The park was only accessible by boat, with the Boblo Boats being ferry boats that could fit 2,500 passengers. The two boats were the SS Ste. Clair and the SS Columbia, which ran hourly to and from the island. The 18-mile boat ride took less than an hour.

The dock at Boblo Island was upgraded in the 1960s, along with the construction of a miniature railroad around the island. The dock is now gone, with the passageway mostly surrounded by weeds and overgrown grass.

The first amusement park rides were installed by 1910, with the Whip, a huge hit, being added in 1920. The park featured a range of attractions, including roller coasters, bumper cars, paddle boats, a train, a ferris wheel, and a zoo. The most popular ride was The Corkscrew, built in 1985.

The park closed in 1993 and was converted into a luxury gated community. The rides were sold to other amusement parks, and the boats ceased their operations in 1991.

The boats that docked there

Boblo Island was only accessible by boat, and two boats ran hourly to and from the island: the SS Ste. Clair and the SS Columbia. These boats were also known as the "Boblo Boats" and were ferry boats that could fit 2,500 passengers each. The boats were sold in November 1991 and smaller ferries took people from Gibraltar, Michigan, to the island, as well as to and from Amherstburg, Ontario.

The SS Ste. Clair was built in 1910 and the SS Columbia was built in 1902. The 18-mile boat ride would usually feature a DJ or live music, a bar, seating, food and tables. The party-like atmosphere made the journey to and from Boblo Island enjoyable for its passengers.

The SS Ste. Clair suffered a devastating fire in July 2018 and was considered a total loss. The SS Columbia was towed to Toledo for renovations in 2014 and was later transported to New York for cruises on the Hudson River.

The history of Boblo Island

Boblo Island, located at the mouth of the Detroit River, was a popular amusement park that operated from 1898 to 1993. The island, originally named Bois Blanc by French settlers, became a recreation park for the Detroit, Windsor and Belle Isle Ferry Company, which was busy transporting people and goods up and down the river during the week. The company created the park as a way to keep themselves busy on the weekends.

The 18-mile boat ride to the island was carried out by the famous ships Columbia and Ste. Claire, which could each hold about 2,500 passengers. The boat ride was a party, with music, food, drinks, and dancing. The island featured roller coasters, bumper cars, paddle boats, and a train, as well as a popular dance hall.

In the 1940s, the state of Michigan sued the ferry company for racial discrimination as black residents were regularly refused admission. The company was found guilty and fined $25. The island eventually became a popular attraction for everyone.

After several changes in ownership, the boats ceased their run in 1991, and the park closed in 1993. The rides were sold, and the island was converted into a luxury gated community. Today, much of the infrastructure of the former amusement park remains, including the dance hall, a miniature golf course, and the Space Needle observation tower.

The park's attractions

Boblo Island Amusement Park was a summer staple for Detroit families for almost 100 years, from 1898 until its closure in 1993. The park was located on Bois Blanc Island, Ontario, just above the mouth of the Detroit River, and was only accessible by boat. The Boblo Boats were ferry boats that could fit 2,500 passengers and ran hourly to and from the island. The boat ride was 18 miles long and took less than an hour. There was usually a DJ or live music, a bar, seating, food, and tables on board.

In addition to the rides, the park also featured a dance hall, which was financed by Henry Ford and, at the time, was the second-largest in the world. It had a capacity of 5,000 dancers and featured a large self-playing orchestrion from the Welte company. The park also had a miniature railroad, a zoo and petting farm, and a powerhouse that supplied electricity to the nearby carousel.

The park's closure and sale

Boblo Island Amusement Park closed on September 30, 1993, after nearly a century in operation. The park's owner, International Broadcasting Corporation, had filed for bankruptcy in 1991, and the boats were sold off as the company shuttered operations at the Detroit dock.

The park was put up for sale in February 1992 for US$9 million, half of its 1988 purchase price. However, with no firm offers, the park was retained by auctioneers Norton Auctioneers of Coldwater, Michigan, to sell the property at auction on February 10, 1993. A Michigan-based group of investors made the winning bid of $3.8 million, intending to redevelop the land for residential and commercial use. However, their bid was rejected due to a bounced deposit check. The second-highest bid of $3.7 million, made by Michael Moodenbaugh, a contractor, commercial developer, and part-owner of a Seattle amusement and water park, was then accepted.

Moodenbaugh's leadership of the park was short-lived, as he was seriously injured in a car accident in September 1993. His associates, Larry Benaroya and Northern Capital, took control of the property, firing Moodenbaugh's marketing hire, Liberal MPP Remo Mancini, and putting the park back on the market in January 1994. The rides were dismantled and sold off in March 1994, and the park was purchased by John Oram, an Iraqi immigrant to the United States who owned car stereo businesses. Oram proposed a casino and hotel development but was unable to secure the necessary approvals, and the site was marketed for residential development from 1995 onwards.

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