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The Seneca Yacht Club

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Hiddencove Marina: Katie Hooper

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Katie Hooper
Katie Hooper is a restored four-story 1948 river towboat that has restaurant and banquet facilities. On weekends, you can come by land or by water for lunch, dinner, or music.

This is an ideal spot for a unique, fun wedding reception in the Summer.  To see more photos of the Katie's wedding and banquet facilities, please click here. 

She has been long retired from service on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Now, she hosts a restaurant on the main deck, and a pizza and beer garden on the second and third decks. A favorite spot for banquets, rehearsal dinner parties, and even a spot for fun weddings, Katie may be rented for private parties if arrangements are made in advance. Otherwise, stop by for dinner, a snack, or a beverage during the summer. Weekends often feature live music outside on the top deck.

Come by land or come by sea. The Katie Hooper has parking for cars on shore and hundreds of feet of dockage for boats that arrive by water.
The Katie Hooper used to be a working towboat, known as the Esso Louisiana. The picture below was provided via courtesy of John Miller. He also was kind enough to also provide some interesting history. John is a wealth of information about towboat history and told us that "...the Esso Louisiana was built by Dravo Corporation, Neville Island, PA., in I believe it was 1948... [She] had a sister built as well, the Esso Tennessee. They are 166'-9 3\4 ft long and 36 ft wide and drafted 7' 6". They were rated at around 2200 horsepower and were built for Esso Standard Oil to replace their steam fleet, which comprised of the Sprague, Amos K. Gordon, Corona, & Jack Rathbone. They are called (Towboats). Tug is a nasty word by those of who used to work, or had worked, on them."

For more information, please click on the links provided above or to the left. Or, you may contact us via email, U.S. mail, or telephone:

  • Email the Hiddencove Marina.
  • Call the Hiddencove Marina for slip or other information at 815-357-6869.
  • Write or mail your slip deposit to the Hiddencove Marina at:

    Hiddencove Marina of the Seneca Yacht Club
    219 River Drive
    Post Office Box 28
    Seneca, IL 61360

 

Boat Slip Rental The Hiddencove Marina offers summer boat slip rentals. Click for details, rates, and pictures. Boat slip rental rates include membership to the Seneca Yacht Club, cash gas discounts, use of our bath house, use of our launch ramp for the slipped boat, use of our fitness center, and more

Winter Boat Storage Seneca Yacht Club offers secure inside winter boat storage. Located on convenient, high ground close to the Illinois River, Hiddencove Marina can pull out your boat, winterize it, and store it inside one of our storage facilities. Also, Hiddencove Marina can provide mechanical and cosmetic repairs or customization to your boat during the winter storage period.

The Katie Hooper Restaurant and Banquets The Katie Hooper is a restored river towboat from the 1920's. Long out of service as a freight pusher, she now boasts a restaurant on the main deck, a two story deck with music, entertainment,cocktails, burgers, brats, and pizza. She is moored at a prime location on the Hiddencove's grounds on the Illinois river, near the Seneca bridge. Available for private parties, weddings, and other events. Contact us for details.

Marina Facilities Hiddencove Marina of the Seneca Yacht Club boasts a wide array of facilities for our members. Fuel docks are located in a protected harbor - away from damaging wake of passing boats. The exercise center is fully air-conditioned and available for members' fitness and enjoyment. The gazebos provide a park-like setting for cooking and relaxing after a day of boating. .

Real Estate Whether you are looking for a real estate investment, a weekend home near the Illinois River or a beautiful piece of land to build your spacious dream home, Seneca offers large wooded or prairie lots at reasonable prices. Click to read about new homes for sale, lots for sale, and the opportunities awaiting you in the comfortable, quiet, and clean Village of Seneca, Illinois.
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