Sugar Island’s Old Amusement Park, Detroit River: 1900-1940s
Sugar Island Is a teeny weeny isle sandwiched between Boblo Island and Grosse Ile in the Detroit River.
Only a half mile from the Canadian border, Sugar Island once upon a time had its own little amusement park, complete with roller coaster and dance pavilion.
The only way visitors could get to the island was by steamboat ferries, and was a smaller, less crowded park than Boblo, just a stone's throw away.
On June 18, 1936, one of the ferry boats, the S.S. Tashmoo, smacked into a rock while departing Sugar Island. She began to sink and all passengers were safely dropped off in Amherstburg, Ontario before the ship sunk.
Approximately between 1900 and 1940, the little island entertained thousands of customers...but then it was all over. The island is currently uninhabited and is now a wildlife refuge, which is accessible by private boats.
The island has been taken over by forests and has nice sandy beaches. Many migratory birds come here to rest, and plans for housing on the island have been thwarted by environmental groups.
The gallery below includes a few photos of the old roller coaster.
Sugar Island's Old Amusement Park
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