American River Hotels and Guest houses

Under construction

See American River History Collection.

Lack of Water May Cut Guest Bookings 

Guest houses at American River, Kangaroo Island may have to cancel bookings unless rain comes. Mr. P. Lierich, proprietor of Lyric's Yantoo-Warra Guest Houses, said that for some time he had been forced to cart sea water for sanitation because of the scarcity of rain water. About 700 gallons was pumped from the sea each day, and carted to the house. This occupied two men for half a day. Well water had to be used for showers and baths, and as the only well in the district was shared among the guest houses, guests could have showers only twice a week. His rain water tanks held nearly 100,000 gallons, and very little was left in them. Mrs. J. A. Linnett, proprietress of a neighboring guest house, said she never remembered being so short of rain water.

Nils Ryberg, a Swedish born immigrant, settled at American River in 1884, and ten years later built the original "Ryberg House". It sat on the site of the present Kangaroo Island Lodge, (Mercure, as at 2021) exclusively for tourist accommodation. It was the first guesthouse in American River. It was bought by John Linnett in 1913 who rebuilt in 1928 over the original simpler cottage.

[1928]  "The Haven"  Mr and Mrs J. Jensen's holiday home.