American River is a town in the Australian state of South Australia located on the western shore of Eastern Cove on Kangaroo Island.

The area now known as American River was first visited by Europeans in 1802 when Matthew Flinders landed to survey this part of Kangaroo Island.

A memorial plaque and accompanying anchor (recovered in 1969) from an early American whaling vessel is dedicated to Union's crew.

[9] Frank Potts was the first official settler in 1842, before moving to the mainland and establishing the Bleasdale vineyard and winery at Langhorne Creek.

[21] In recent years, several new land subdivisions have seen increased development within the township, highlighting the need for improved effluent disposal and water supply.

[22] Air services were operated for a number of years by Emu Airways, utilising a privately owned airstrip located to the north of the township.