For many centuries, First Nations people used Boblo Island for hunting and fishing. Known to the French as Île aux Bois Blancs, the island's strategic location made it a site for blockhouses during the War of 1812 and the Upper Canada Rebellion. In 1837, a lighthouse was erected on the southern end, and about sixty years later the island became the site of a popular amusement park that lasted for nearly a century. The Detroit ferry terminal, seen here around 1903, was the starting point for trips to Boblo Island on two vessels that carried passengers back and forth for over 80 years.