Access to this video is a benefit for WQED members.

Member Sign In

Learn More

Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale

Latest Episode

Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale - When Ste. Claire and SS Columbia sounded their whistles, every Detroit kid knew it heralded the coming of summer and the magic of ferrying over to nearby Boblo Island Amusement Park. After 85 years of operation, these two sister steamships – the oldest in America - find their fates resting in the hands of an unlikely band of heroes. This award-winning, nostalgic film is narrated by Martha Reeves.

All Episodes

About Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale

When Ste. Claire and SS Columbia sounded their whistles, every Detroit kid knew it heralded the coming of summer and the magic of ferrying over to nearby Boblo Island Amusement Park. After 85 years of operation, these two sister steamships – the oldest in America - find their fates resting in the hands of an unlikely band of heroes. This award-winning, nostalgic film is narrated by Martha Reeves.