EAGLE HOTEL
| Most visitors to one of Adelaide’s busiest fast-food outlets on Hindley Street may not realise they are standing in a building with a rich hospitality history. Once the site of one of Adelaide’s most well-known early hotels, the Eagle Hotel has a legacy dating back to the mid-19th century. Originally named the Eagle Tavern, the hotel officially opened on Tuesday, 17 March 1846, and was built by George Doran. It featured not only a welcoming tavern but also extensive stables at the rear, making it a popular stop for travellers arriving in the city. Although the tavern saw several publicans take the helm in its early years, its fortunes were significantly boosted in the 1850s with the construction of the Adelaide Railway Station at the northern end of Bank Street. The station provided a steady stream of patrons heading into the city, cementing the tavern’s popularity. By 1900, the Eagle Tavern was among the last remaining single-storey hotels in Adelaide, having seen few updates since its original construction in 1846. Recognising the need for modernization, the South Australian Brewing Company, which had acquired the hotel by the early 20th century, made the decision to demolish the original structure in 1903, despite significant public opposition. A new two-storey building rose in its place, reopening under the updated name Eagle Hotel. The hotel remained a vibrant part of Hindley Street’s social and cultural life through the early to mid-20th century. However, by the 1960s, many of Adelaide’s inner-city hotels were struggling with aging infrastructure and the rising cost of required renovations. Like many others, the Eagle Hotel closed its doors, eventually ceasing operation in 1978. Fortunately, the building was not lost. A restaurant initially took over the space, followed later by McDonald’s, which transformed it into one of the most frequented locations on Hindley Street. Despite the changes in use, the building’s structure has remained intact, retaining its historical character and charm.  The hotel building today |
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| EAGLE TAVERN | 1846 | 1910 |
| EAGLE HOTEL | 1910 | 1978 |
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1892
State Library [B 6374]
c1897
State Library [B 7093]
1903
State Library [PRG 733/576]
c1905
State Library [B 9088]
1926
State Library [B 22741]
Click here for a high resolution image
| Publican Name | Start Date | Finish Date | Hotel |
| George DORAN | 1846 | 1847 | Eagle Tavern |
| Henry ATHORN | 1847 | 1848 | Eagle Tavern |
| John HOLMES | 1848 | 1849 | Eagle Tavern |
| Henry ATHORN | 1849 | 1850 | Eagle Tavern |
| William INGRAM | 1850 | 1854 | Eagle Tavern |
| Henry ATHORN | 1854 | 1854 | Eagle Tavern |
| Matthew FAULKNER | 1855 | 1858 | Eagle Tavern |
| Catherine BLAKE | 1858 | 1862 | Eagle Tavern |
| John ALLEN | 1862 | 1863 | Eagle Tavern |
| John COLLINS | 1863 | 1864 | Eagle Tavern |
| Alexander MCKENZIE | 1864 | 1865 | Eagle Tavern |
| Donald MCKENZIE | 1865 | 1866 | Eagle Tavern |
| Alexander MCKENZIE | 1866 | 1873 | Eagle Tavern |
| John CRAMPTON | 1873 | 1875 | Eagle Tavern |
| George GATES | 1875 | 1876 | Eagle Tavern |
| Thomas ROOK | 1876 | 1877 | Eagle Tavern |
| Alexander MCKENZIE | 1877 | 1883 | Eagle Tavern |
| Mrs Rosina MCKENZIE | 1883 | 1883 | Eagle Tavern |
| Robert ROONEY | 1883 | 1890 | Eagle Tavern |
| Mrs Elizabeth ROONEY | 1890 | 1890 | Eagle Tavern |
| Robert ROONEY | 1890 | 1891 | Eagle Tavern |
| Patrick HOBAN | 1891 | 1891 | Eagle Tavern |
| Robert ROONEY | 1891 | 1892 | Eagle Tavern |
| Mrs Elizabeth ROONEY | 1892 | 1897 | Eagle Tavern |
| William Angus LANGLEY | 1897 | 1899 | Eagle Tavern |
| Carl Hermann NITSCHKE | 1899 | 1901 | Eagle Tavern |
| James Thomas ROWE | 1901 | 1902 | Eagle Tavern |
| Joseph JENE | 1902 | 1903 | Eagle Tavern |
| Hans CHRISTENSEN | 1903 | 1907 | Eagle Tavern |
| Thomas PLACE | 1907 | 1916 | Eagle Hotel |
| Mrs Amy PLACE | 1916 | 1919 | Eagle Hotel |
| Thomas PLACE | 1919 | 1922 | Eagle Hotel |
| Robert George LEE | 1922 | 1926 | Eagle Hotel |
| & Herbert Frederick JONES | 1922 | 1926 | Eagle Hotel |
| Robert George LEE | 1926 | 1929 | Eagle Hotel |
| Louis Warren LEAHY | 1929 | 1931 | Eagle Hotel |
| Mrs Lilian MERRYWEATHER | 1931 | 1934 | Eagle Hotel |
| John Joseph SEXTON | 1934 | 1934 | Eagle Hotel |
| Christopher FORDE | 1934 | 1937 | Eagle Hotel |
| Edward S O’NEILL | 1937 | 1937 | Eagle Hotel |
| Richard Ronald WALSH | 1937 | 1950 | Eagle Hotel |
| Albert Aloysius LEAHY | 1950 | 1951 | Eagle Hotel |