Chester “Chet” Anderson with one of his first boats, the Honeymoon Queen II, pictured in the 1950s. Both these photos were part of a recent donation of items courtesy of the Anderson family.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the St. Charles Paddlewheel Riverboats, and we are excited to be partnering with the businesses’ new owners, the St. Charles Park District, for a look back at the history of this iconic St. Charles business.
In 1945, Chester “Chet” Anderson was operating the concession stand at Pottawatomie Park, when he had the idea to begin offering boat rides to picnickers in the park. He purchased and refurbished the Honeymoon Queen, and a St. Charles summertime tradition was born.
Over the years, the company has operated six different vessels. The company currently sails the double-deck St. Charles Belle II and Fox River Queen which entered service in 1981 and 1987, respectively.
Chet’s son Rich Anderson took over the family business in the late 1980s and continued operating the boats into the 2000s. The company changed ownership last year upon Anderson’s retirement and the sale of the company to the St. Charles Park District.
We have recently received a donation of items and photos related to the history of the paddleboats courtesy of the Anderson family which will be included in the exhibit for a look back at this beloved St. Charles summertime tradition.
The exhibit is set to open in the coming weeks and will be located in the main atrium of the Pottawatomie Community Center. For more information, please visit our website www.stcmuseum.org.
