Boblo Island

[warftl]

The most annoying, distracting transitions I've ever seen.

[summersetretrievers]

Could you please post your video in the Boblo Island Flickr site? Thanks!

[pokeopolis]

I wish these boats could get going again. I am sure people would pay big money just to have a blast down memory lane.

[etr102]

Awesome video. So many memories. I just wish the slide show was a little slower. The picture changes before I can even focus on the one I'm looking at. Other than that, this was great. As a child of the 80s, I really miss boblo.

[Mrtcoltpilot56]

Thanks for the memories. My dad was with the Michigan Bell Telephone and a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America as the Clown Chairman and dressed as a clown with 14 other Clowns under him from 1968 to 1971. He welcomed many kids including adults to a fun time on the island. I have pictures of my dad with his clown friends in front of the SS St. Claire. I still have my Bob-Lo sailors hat too. My dad was good friends with Captain Bill Yonkers of the SS St. Claire.

[1dawnf]

its too faST I WANT TO SEE THE PPICS SLOWER:0 BUT THX

[christinemonley]

It was all about the boat! It was all about the HOW you got there!

[derekgee]

I second the comment about re-editing to leave the pictures up longer. I love the photos, but two to three seconds is too short. While you're at it, please delete the Cedar Point midway photo of the Octopus & Ferris Wheel that somehow snuck in there.

[jewell49707]

Great pics And love The Temptations,Eddie Kendricks,David Ruffin great song !!!

[monarch224]

i remember captain boblo! he has to be dead by now he was 70 in the 70,s! when AAA bought it and whites moved to burbs it became a issue to even go in fear of your life! the errol flynns, sconi onlys, and ybi brought that shit to an end with the endless fighting etc.! all good things must come to an end and i say that for bob-lo!

[robbourassaguitarist]

This almost makes me cry when I remember what Detroit used to be like.

[bravebelt99]

been at boblo island in 1974, nice memories as a kid

[Tapwater2226]

Man the memories form this video and yet with all the smiles and memories comes a bit of sadness that We will never have that Boblo back for our kids. I have a clock and and old banner from Boblo hanging in my office my 11 year old came to me and asked what Boblo island was. After hanging my head for a second she got a half hour talk about how amazing it was. BOBLO will never be forgotten.

[Bettybettybetty22]

Just wonderful. Thank you, thank you.

[wprice67]

Great job, thanks for sharing.

[nieckolai]

Good stuff, but you transition from pic to pic WAAAY to quickly, there is no time to really see them.

[thenegas2011]

OH yes I remember BOB-LO very much

[421island]

I sure do miss coleman young lol represent cody high clacss of 79 lol excuse my spellin like i said cody high lol

[vaughno04]

dang this brings back memories. I remember that last few years they had a magician that did shows there that were actually very good for the venue. I always love the ride back dancing on the deck, and unfortunately my kids never got a chance to go. I really wished that the legend could have survived that long. The last time I went was the year after I graduated high school and then that was it....it was gone.

[dzdaydreamer92]

This was awesome...I remember during the boat ride watching kids throw popcorn to the seagulls and me and my brother didn't have any popcorn...so we picked up cigarette butts and threw them...the seagulls would pick them up...but not eat them...we thought that was so funny...Oh to be six again.

[coolcynful]

Got my first kiss on the Bob-lo boat...dancing to "Locomotion"

[DetroitDen]

NOT THE EDMUND FITZGERALD...CLEVELAND CLIFFS FREIGHTER at :43

WONDERFUL MIX OF PHOTOS...SOME WERE FROM THE OFFICIAL COLORING BOOK

[Helenem55]

What about that huge granite boulder rock at the Entry when first coming on the Island? That was THE SPOT for posing of family pictures for us, circa 1956. Funtimes, WHAT DID THEY DO WITH THAT PLACE? talk of turning it into RITZY CONDOS, gated community or something! TOO BAD not enough rich guys took interest in KEEPING IT GOING, keep it alive!

[cptboblo]

Not sure about the rock but most of the buildings are still there, although in bad shape. They did knock down the big cafeteria. Houses & Condos are only on the far north end, the rest of the island hasn't been touched.

[banditboy6666]

Boblo sucked, Edgewater ruled

[cptboblo]

I remember Edgewater too. in fact I have one of the neon cold drinks signs hanging in the basement. I did like Edgewater but nothing compared to Boblo and the boats!!!!

[RycherMaxx]

I can still remember the smell coming form the engine room on the boats.I get misty eyed when I think back to spending many summer days on the island.

[John6yt]

I have a specific memory of being on the Boblo boat and watching people dance to Blondie's "Heart of Glass"...must have been 1979-80. The boat ride was the best part.

[redheadkb59]

Love, Love , Love the clip of Boblo Island! It brought back some great memories of those happy times in the 60's & 70's! Oh how I loved the swing ride!!! Great times had at Boblo, White Sands and all the little nooks and crannies in between! Also--FUn FUn on the Midnight Cruises on the river!!

[Scrubs2U]

Loved it

[Shadynevermind]

Is that The Edmund Fitzgerald at 0:43?

[littlelivey12]

what r the songs called ?

[cptboblo]

Hi, The 1st song is "Someday we'll be together" by the Supremes.....The 2nd song is "You're my everything" by the Temptations.

[margy357]

If it weren't for Boblo Island, I might not have been born.....LOL! My Mom and Dad met at Boblo back in the mid 40's. And we have home movies of a trip to Boblo with my older three sisters when my Mom was pregnant with me.....so technically, I was there in 1957. A few years later, I remember my Dad taking me down to the engine room on the Columbia -- still remember the smell and sound to this day. Awesome memories all in all -- loved everything about Boblo!

[lordgeneral9]

Thank you

[mazak6811]

seeing this gets my all choked up!

[mmichaelc]

It sure looks like the Bob-Lo Island I remember. So wtf is your problem?

[thedogmen2]

wtf don't call it boblo island

[cptboblo]

What do you mean don't call it Boblo Island? These are all pictures of the ships and the island??

[Dragsterwiz]

yes uncle Bill and Ralph are my family. They might like that, I know my mom and I would too.

[cptboblo]

That's great. Actually I just got off the phone with both of them. I told them that we would really enjoy seeing both of them. I hope they can make it.

[Dragsterwiz]

my uncles were the owners of boblo Island and the boats. But they sold it before I was born. I have never been on the island but I have been on the ste. claire.

[cptboblo]

Hello, they wouldn't happen to be Bill & Ralph would they? I was on the Ste. Claire when Bill came down and on the Boblo Employee Reunion when Ralph was there. We are going to have a volunteer appreciation party on the 13th and I was thinking of inviting them to see all the work we have done on the Ste. Claire.

[she9829]

I have memeories of Boblo Island and catching the boat from Detroit. I miss it to this day.

[SoloRaven]

Great memories and music! 10*

[plangan107]

Thanks so much for posting, this fantastic memories

[ipissexcellence3]

Some great times there. It's a shame the memories are just memories now.

[Chiropam]

I have wonderful memories of Boblo Island - as a child and as a teenager. Thanks for posting this.

[nikkitrueblue]

I went to Boblo when I was a young girl, and believe me those were the rides they had!

[Randl1953]

grew up in windsor an summer meant one thing going to boblo. Thank goodness it stayed until my adulthood the sad thing is we an future generations will have just a few picture memories of what summer used to be

[ColinsMom1985]

lar321 could not be more wrong. The people from Detroit who came in droves as he put it kept he island in business for many years. Some of the best memories I have are of school trips to Bob Lo...and I grew up in Metro Detroit...a very polite and nice person! If they would have kept up to date on rides and attractions, we'd still be going there today. No doubt!

[Berlitz777]

I loved Boblo. That's where I kissed my first girlfriend way back in 1986. I was 12 years old, Lol!

[PhuckHue2]

I worked on the Boblo boat as entertainment in 1983 and the passengers were always 100% Black. Apparently white people stopped going there. I didn't see any fights, it was mostly families on the boat

[InsertName125]

Really? I must have always gone on white theme days. I always saw a typical mixture of people and getting along great.

[AmazonWarrior1974]

I spent some of my best summer days in the 60's and 70's at Boblo.

[cptboblo]

Every place has its problems and hooligans. Boblo may not have had the most up to date rides but that place was totally a unique. We will never experience anything like taking a relaxing boat ride to an island amusement park.

[toddz1972]

I have great memories of Boblo Island,it was a very unique park.You had to have been there to truly understand how unique it was,especially as a young child.

[canyouseeme94]

I don't recall any rude people or hooligans, just a lot of fun! I think the park & the rides just weren't kept up to the newest innovataions that other amusement parks were doing and our children now enjoy. Never the less just like our memories they will have theirs too but we will have more pride in Boblo than they ever will in Cedar Point. Thanks so much for bringing back all those memories!!!

[lar321]

I loved Bob-Lo. You know what killed it?

The rude people from Detroit that started going there in droves. The decent people that act like human beings stopped going there. No one wants to be around a bunch hooligans acting like a animals. I witnessed it myself. That was the sad ending of Bob-Lo Island as I knew it.

And like it or not, that's a fact.

[myturbnzdirty]

You are partly right. Two rival high schools went on a field trip to the island on the same day. Riots/fights broke out...there ya go.

[kvasicek100]

I remember going to Boblo in the 80's - I practically grew up there in the summer... It was a travesty in 1993 when they closed it for good - us kids were devastated when we found out.

However, at least it's good to know that at least one relic of the past lives on.... the Sky Tower is still towering over the island as a reminder of what Boblo's heritage once was.

Thanks for the memories. It was a real pleasure to see something like this posted.

[sherrijones70]

Thanks for the few moments of beautiful memories! It really is a shame that our children will never experience the joy we did from Boblo Island. Some wonder why most of our children are getting into some sort of trouble nowadays, well I would say it's because they have nothing else to do! If places like Boblo were still around it would give them something positive to do with their free time.

[amerikinwmn]

After reading the comments, I'm wondering whatever happened to the lady that lived there when the builder or whoever, was trying to get her off. Remember, they shut off her water and people started bringing water to her by boat?

[teridaniel]

Thanks for a walk down memory lane. My Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Tress owned the first cottage on the island so my husband and I and our children were permanent fixtures on the island. Sadly both are gone now, but the cottage still stands as a tribute to them and what used to be! The good old days!

[lostinto]

I remeber Boblo Island I was a securty guard there in the 60s part of my job was to keep boaters from sneaking onto the island without payong

[bpkush]

Boblo & the Detroit Zoo were the two summer features for us kids back in the fifties. We took a bus down Warren Ave to Woodward Ave and then to the waterfront, walking by the Vernors plant. We always cut it close. The steam horn would be blowing as we ran down the sidewalk hoping the boat would not leave without us! Then the band would play as we cast off and crossed over to Canada to pick up the "foreigners". I was amazed to find they looked pretty much like us! Thanks for the memories!

[queercat]

The 'foreigners'! Very Funny!

[moondreamer7]

Being from Amherstburg, Boblo was our get-a-away growing up in the 80's. The bumper cars and the nightmare was ridden over and over while our parents play mud volleyball tournaments. I remember the days where you would order pizza and get free boblo passes with it! would be used to raise money for our schools too.

I miss boblo very much and sadden that I cannot share it with my own kids now =( They don't even know what it is while it was my favorite childhood place to be.

[mayu75]

Ive done some work on Boblo island recently with a construction company, and can you believe the old Indian log houses that where way back in the bush area are still there. Even some of the rail tracks are still intact, but the rest is pretty much all gone. All were left with are the memories.

[cptboblo]

The original Captain Boblo worked on the boats until 1974 when he retired at age 90. Joe Short died one year after retirement in 1975. In the 80's a new Captain Boblo was brought on board but I believe he only lasted a year or so.

[Canakid3710]

I would've seen the original Captain Boblo. I don't remember the 2nd one but we did go to Boblo after I got married and had our own children. Still it was a great place to have fun. And the boat ride from Dieppe Park to Boblo was a blast.. Thanks cptboblo.

[Canakid3710]

Hey they forgot someone. Where's Captain Boblo. He was always on the boat. My Dad worked for GM & my uncle worked for Fords. So we went there often. Those where the days. I remember one time on the boat a small Tornado came down the river & hit an apt. bldg on Riverside Dr. It just missed the boat & 1 of the adults grab us, we were looking over the side at the water. I remember the Wild Mouse, wooden rickety ride. Scared the life out of me. Those were the good ole days.

[spellermouse]

Great pictures...they bring back such memories of summer days on Bob-Lo.

[nancyleeould]

I MISS BOB-LO!!!!!!!  :-(

[downthetube]

Oh Wow! Thanks for sharing. I would roller skate from the time we got there till it was time to leave. I loved Bob-Lo. What a pity the rich need another place with big homes. just greed thats all.

[mechredd]

I remember taking the Boblo Boat from Detroit every year when I was young. I'm pretty sure that the guy whom owns it now turned it into a resort or something like that.

[sharon49286]

No its not a resort,It was sold back to the city of Amherstburg,Ontario.And there are some HUGE million dollar homes on it along with condos and still building.The dance hall still stands and is used for some town events... I miss it too!

[sharon49286]

and every teenager that lived in Amherstburg,Worked there in the summer...Fond memories......I live right across the river from it,The old dock you used to board for the short ferry ride in Amherstburg still stands.A little delapitated but what memories!!

[tdiesbourg2]

The island was not sold to the town of Amherstburg, Its is being developed by private developers.

[BALLING505]

i miss this place my dad was a security guard thier and my mom was a helper with the rides same with my aunt it sucks its gone.

[lectricegg]

This was a great compilation of images that brings back a lot of wonderful memories. To take the Ste. Claire or the Columbia to the island was a joy in itself but once on the island it was so much fun. It was a family tradition for many. A tradition sadly lost for the current generation. Here's to getting the Ste. Claire back on the river to relive old memories and to make new ones with our children even if it only means a cruise past where an amusement park icon once stood.

[cptboblo]

Boblo Island was a really nice unique amusement park regardless of what gopconservative78 commented about it.

[figmentz]

I was born in england and moved to canada in 1964 with my adopted parents. I had never seen anything like this when I was in england because me mother gave me up for adoption. But I will never forget bob-lo island. I had a blast, and waiting for the boat. Once you were on the boat getting all excited when it finely reached bob-lo island.You should open something like this again and call it, "BOB-LO Reborn".

[cgseven77]

Awesome vid! Always remember those trips as a kid with the family! The boat ride home could have lasted forever. And the "blue streak" i think it was called was the first big roller coaster I ever got on. And how funny is this but I remember wanting to go on the cork screw but my parents not thinking it was safe cus it had a couple upside down loops!! haha. How things have chamged. I thought there was talk of re-opening not that long ago?

[Getsillehh]

Those are rides at Cedar Point.. not Bob-lo.

[northdragonfly]

Bob-lo has been considered an amusment park since the early 1900's. All these rides have once been apart of Bob-lo, rides come and rides go. If you watch the scenery and not just the rides you would recognize the island. I know I did, I loved spending my summers there. I used to stand at the waterfront and look over to the island and listen to the music and the screams of the people having fun on those rides.

[cgseven77]

They were also rides at Boblo

[joelyandtheboys]

best commercial jingle ever!

[BIGWHEEL313]

Wow, this really brings back childhood memories of BOBLO ISLAND! Great video.

[SoBlessed1979]

Wow I remember I use to go back in the day but when I was in the 8th grade was the last time I went and they closed it..I believe Michael Jackson and another millionaire planned on bringing an amusement park back to detroit but of course mayor dennis archer said NO..this really brung some good memories..thank you sooooo much for postings..ps..does anybody remember the midnight cruises? LOL!

[AcesLucky]

My girlfriend and I fell asleep in an open area and got stranded on the island. Luckily the weather was really nice and when we were found we didn't get in trouble. Those were some nice memories. Late 70's. Wow how time flies.

[jeepjules]

thank you for keeping my memories of boblo alive.

rip boblo. :(

[marcrluce]

GREAT Video. Re-mixing to make each picture stay up another 2-3 seconds would help I think. Thanks for sharing!

[cptboblo]

Thanks! I tried to make the pictures stay longer but youtube would only allow the show to be so long. So instead of cutting out pics I cut corners in other ways.

[Hoopskidoodle]

I got sick as a dog on the Boblo boat the day before my 10th birthday. Fortunately, I quickly shook it off as soon as we disembarked on the island.

[SherryAnn68]

We used to have a blast as a kid going on the boat to Bob-Lo and on the rides too. Later when I got married and had kids in the early 80s we would take our kids there late in the day for 1/2 price and stay till they closed and it was so much fun...I miss Bob-Lo...

[FedExPIAR]

Sadly the only thing I remember about Boblo was the train, taking the boat from Gibraltar, and the fort.  I miss that place.

[cptboblo]

Thanks for the great comments. From what I heard the lady still lives on the island. It's a shame what they put her through.