How Boblo Island Looked in 1984, Compared with the 2020s

It was Michigan’s ‘Cedar Point’ and Detroit’s ‘Coney Island’.....it was Bob-Lo Island, in the Detroit River between Detroit and Ontario, Canada.

Oh, and what a place it was! I barely remember riding the ferry boat to the island, but I can’t muster up any images of being on Boblo, even though I know I was there when I was a little kid.

It was a child’s (and adult's) fantasy dream come true: Attractions included a carousel, corkscrew, dance hall, the Enterprise, the Falling Star, Ferris Wheel, log flume, the Nightmare, mini-railroad, Scootaboats, Screamer, Sky Streak, Space Needle, and a zoo.

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FAST FACTS:
1898: Grand opening
1988: Boblo sold to the International Broadcasting Corporation
1991: Bankruptcy declared
1991: Boblo boats are sold
1992: Back up for sale
1992: Ferry service ends, killing attendance
1993: Boblo closes
1993: Boblo auctioned off
1994: Back on the market
1994: Amusement rides torn apart and sold
1995: Marketed for residential development
1997: Proposal for townhouses and condos
2001: Investors scared off by the 9/11 attacks
2002: Island is off-limits to the public
2021: Space needle tower is demolished

Boblo was doing great for almost 100 years...then when it was old 90 years later, the corporations came in, and so did the problems. Selling, re-selling, bankruptcy, proposed changes that fell flat, etc. Doesn’t it seem odd that it lasted from 1898 until 1988 with very little problems and plenty of business? But once it was sold in 1988, that was the sad beginning of the end.

Even though a few of the amusements and attractions still sit hidden by trees and overgrowth, the island is now a residential island with condos, expensive homes, and a marina.

The gallery below shows aerial images of Boblo from 1984, compared with drone photos from the 2020s.