Rich Anderson, owner and operator of the St. Charles Paddlewheel Riverboats for the past 32 years, has announced his retirement effective at the end of this year.

Anderson, the second generation owner, inherited the business from his father and company founder Chet Anderson in the late 1980s. The family-owned business has offered daily sightseeing trips and private group charters from Pottawatomie Park since 1945.

The company currently owns two double-deck sightseeing boats, the St. Charles Belle II, constructed in 1981 in Escanaba, MI, and the Fox River Queen, constructed in 1987 in Prospect, KY.

Anderson made the decision to retire in order to spend more time with his family. The company is presently in negotiations to sell the business to the St. Charles Park District, who will take over operations at the start of next year. Anderson will be in a consulting role with the Park District once the sale is finalized.

Anderson’s final boat tours will sail at 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and, 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, and Sunday, Oct. 14, from Pottawatomie Park.

For more information, contact the company at 630-584-2334 or visit www.stcriverboats.com.

About St. Charles Paddlewheel Riverboats

Photo courtesy of the St. Charles Convention and Visitors Bureau, http://www.visitstcharles.com

Bordered by the St. Charles Park District’s parks and forest preserves, the Fox River in St. Charles is a green corridor of scenic beauty rich in history. Come aboard and enjoy travel from the era of Mark Twain on one of our daily afternoon sightseeing trips or a private charter cruise.

Both boats have open-air upper decks for unobstructed sightseeing and the lower decks have windows that can be closed in cool or rainy weather to ensure the comfort of your guests. Welcome aboard! www.stcriverboats.com