A big thanks to reader AB. who sent along these current photos of Boblo, he figured the readers of this site would be interested in seeing the current state of the island.
This is the building that was labeled as the “Souvenir Hall” in the 1920 photos.
Aaron figured it’s final use was as a restaurant. I for the life of me can’t remember what it was used for. I moved to the area in the summer of 1989, and went to Boblo only once or twice before it closed.
Lots of damage inside this building.
This is taken from the porch looking towards where the car ride was.
The three photos above are the ruins of the old block houses on the island.
This building was last used as a theatre.
The theatre was at first used as the “Merry-go-round Hall”, as seen in the 1920 photos.
The old church on the island. It looks to me like some structural issues have popped up on the steeple/chimney.
A view of the front facade.
Inside the church all is neat and clean. According to A., his previous visit saw the interior full of broken glass, and other garbage. Obviously someone on the island is caretaking and keeping an eye on the church.
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Sad to see the history represented by buildings like the Block Houses and Church wasting away.
Did we really expect a bunch of well-heeled absentee McMansion owners from another country to care for our local heritage?
"Souvenir Hall" was a restaurant in its final incarnation, though I don't remember its name. It was the only sit-down service restaurant on the island while I worked there in high school.
Jamie is correct, it was a restaurant and had very cold air conditioning.
What a sad site to see the blockhouse (one of 3, I believe on the island. With one being a part of a house) in that shape. I can't believe that they are not designated! Only in this area would such things be tolerated. The owner of the island should be ashamed! But I digress. John Oram was also a rat for allowing the historic home on the Bob-lo parking lot to be torn down.
The old church used to be the "haunted house" with crooked floors and weird rooms. When I was little I was afraid to go into it until my brothers gave me the courage to go in. Subsequently, they scared the crap out of me once I was in.
Does anyone remember if the theatre was the building where they put in the roller coaster at the very end of the amusement parks life?
I would love to scan the grassy areas around those buildings with my metal detector, and contribute the old coins to a museum.
Why didn't we turn Boblo Island into a National Park before the greed heads got their hands on it? Oh well, at least we finally have a nice riverfront to make up for the loss of Boblo Island.
The indoor roller coaster ("Nightmare") was in the dance pavillion.
Nightmare was never in the dance pavillion, it was in the theater. The theater had many uses, it was an attraction called "Amaze Amaze" like described above with crooked floors and spinning tubes, then it was where the magic show was held, and in 1988 Nightmare was installed. I was inside the dace pavillion this October and there are no signs of any rollercoaster ever being in there. I looked all over the floor for bolt holes or broken off studs in the floor, ther is nothing like that there.
How sad to see such a fun place go to ruins.
The "OLD CHURCH" is not a church .It was a coal fired power house .Look inside at the chimney and structure.(not shown in the picture) The building was the launch pad for the antique car rides.