Adelaide and suburbs

Image: facade of a building with cars parked in front of it

South Australian Hotel

This hotel on North Terrace was first licenced as a public house in 1878 and was closed and demolished in 1971. To many, ‘The South’, the city’s three-storey grand hotel, was Adelaide.

Historical Place | By Patricia Sumerling | North Terrace | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

South Terrace

Mansions at one end and cottages at the other, with businesses, welfare, medical and educational institutions in between, all overlooking the parklands

Historical Place | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | 1830s, 1840s, 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900-1910, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 2000-2010

Spheres

Balancing and still among the bustle of Rundle Mall, Spheres is among Adelaide's favourite public artworks

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | Rundle Mall | 1970s

St Francis Xavier's Cathedral

Built in a striking Gothic Revival style, St. Francis Xavier’s Cathedral is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Adelaide.

Historical Place | By Alexander Parsons, History Trust of South Australia | 1850s

Stanhope Press

The Stanhope press brought to Holdfast Bay in 1836 was used to print the Proclamation of South Australia.

Collection Item | 1830s

State Herbarium

Tram Barn A, which once housed part of the tram fleet, is now the State Herbarium, housing over one million plant specimens.

Historical Place | By Open House Adelaide | 1900-1910

Steam

The steam engine became part of daily life, thanks to its industrial applications, powering modes of transport and agricultural machinery, and labour-saving utility

Historical Subject | By Roger Cross | North Terrace, River Torrens, Rundle Street east | early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

Image: A tugboat sits on stands in a dry-dock. A group of men sit facing the vessel in the foreground

Once an integral component of Port Adelaide's fleet of working vessels, this sole-surviving example of an operational South Australian steam tug has been faithfully restored and now promotes the Port's maritime heritage

Historical Thing | By James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

Street Naming Committee

Colonial factions struggled over the names to bestow on Adelaide's streets

Historical Organisation | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | 1830s

Image: a group of men gathered outside an abattoir

Strikes

South Australian workers have usually been less militant than their interstate counterparts.

Historical Subject | By Tom Sheridan | 1840s, 1890s, 1910s, 1920s, 1940s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, Second World War

Image: large stone building with group of children in front

Sturt Street School

Sturt Street Primary School, built in 1883, was the local primary school for families living in the South West of the Adelaide CBD.

Historical Place | By Vedrana Budimir, History Trust of South Australia | Southwest corner | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

Survey Chain

Survey chain used by Isaac Guley in surveying the City of Adelaide with Colonel Light.

Collection Item | Central Market, East Terrace, Hindley Street, North Terrace, Northwest corner, Parklands, River Torrens, Rundle Mall, Rundle Street east, Southeast corner, Southwest corner | 1830s

Image: head and shoulders shot of woman looking at camera

Benny, Susan

The first female local government councillor in Australia, Benny was a Justice of the Peace, a businesswoman and a lobbyist for women’s equality.

Historical Person | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1870s, 1890s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s

Susan Grace Benny Plaque

The first female local government councillor in Australia, Benny was a Justice of the Peace, a businesswoman and a lobbyist for women’s equality.

Historical Thing | By Laura Sherwood, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 2000-2010

Image: tea pot decorated with Chinese dragon

Sym Choon Collection

A collection of objects related to the Sym Choon family, reflecting their lives as first generation Australians with Chinese heritage.

Collection Level Description | Rundle Street east | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

Sym Choon Shops

In 1925/26 Thomas Sym Choon bought his four children a shop each.

Historical Place | By Hannah Stewart, History Trust of South Australia | Rundle Street east | 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s

Image: people standing in front of buildings

Synagogue Place

Synagogue Place, named after the Synagogue built in 1850, has been the centre of the Jewish community in South Australia for much of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It has since grown, becoming increasingly commercialised with numerous businesses making it their home.

Historical Place | By Owen Hems | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

Image: top storey of red brick three-storey building, with three flags flying

Tandanya

Originally built in 1921 as a power station and office for the Adelaide Electric Supply Company, today this beautiful building houses Tandanya, Adelaide’s Aboriginal Cultural Institution

Historical Place | By James Hunter, History Trust of South Australia | East Terrace | 1920s

Image: bronze statue of a young naked boy in running pose

The Athlete

Once dubbed 'Adelaide's most active statue' the Athlete is now safely installed in the Lord Mayor's Courtyard.

Historical Thing | By Pat Stretton | Central Market, River Torrens, Southwest corner | early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late twentieth century, mid twentieth century

The Eternal Question

Word artist Richard Tipping prompts us to consider big ideas in his sculpture ‘The Eternal Question’

Historical Thing | By Jude Elton, History Trust of South Australia | Northwest corner | 1940s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010

The first reading of the proclamation

The December 1836 proclamation at Holdfast Bay is South Australia’s best known historical event, despite it often being misunderstood

Historical Event | By Margaret Anderson, History Trust of South Australia | 1830s

Image: head and shoulders image of bearded man

The Great Stuart Demonstration

'A red letter day in the calendar of South Australia': welcoming home heroes

Historical Event | By Mandy Paul, History Trust of South Australia | 1860s

The hulk 'Fitzjames'

Between 1880 and 1891 the hulk Fitzjames, colloquially known as ‘Hell afloat’, served as a Reformatory for over 100 boys aged from 8 to 16 years of age.

Historical Thing | By Nikki Sullivan | 1880s, 1890s

Image: bronze sculpture of family group with suitcase

The Immigrants

The Immigrants sculpture has been climbed on, sat on, stood next to and embraced by many people who have walked through the gates of the Migration Museum since 2006.

Historical Thing | By Catherine Manning, Migration Museum | North Terrace | 2000-2010

The Lady Mayoress' Chain

Collection Item | 1980s, 1990s, 2000-2010, 2010s

The opening of Parliament 1857

Crowds gathered on 22 April 1857 to watch Governor Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell open South Australia’s first fully elected parliament.

Historical Event | By Mandy Paul, History Trust of South Australia | North Terrace | 1850s

Image: Printed document headed ’Proclamation’

The Proclamation

South Australia’s first vice-regal proclamation was read at Holdfast Bay on 28 December 1836

Historical Subject | By Margaret Anderson, History Trust of South Australia | 1830s

The Slide

What fun! John Dowie’s work invigorates Rundle Mall