American Queen makes surprise stop in Chester

The American Queen, the largest riverboat operating on the Mississippi, made an unscheduled stop in Chester on Tuesday, giving residents a chance to check out the steamboat from the shore and the steamboat's passengers an opportunity to see the sights of Chester.

The unexpected stop occurred because of high water upstream and because one of the lock and dams upriver isn't open currently, said American Queen tour guide Tari Marcou.

The American Queen was moored at the Chester Riverfront from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The public was not invited to board, as there are nearly 400 passengers riding the riverboat this week.

Those passengers, however, got the chance to disembark, and five buses came to carry them on a tour of Chester landmarks.

The American Queen's home port is Memphis but it tours the Mississippi all year, Marcou said. In winter it stays between Memphis and New Orleans.