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the first street built in modern Singapore

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High street is located in downtown Singapore, and stretches from Hill
Street to the current St. Andrew's Road. However, the original street began at the
foot of Fort Canning and ran down to the sea.

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High street is located in downtown Singapore, and stretches from Hill
Street to the current St. Andrew's Road. However, the original street began at the
foot of Fort Canning and ran down to the sea.

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Sir Stamford Raffles arrived in 1819 and saw in Fort Canning hill what previous rulers had recognised: a safe haven, a strategic vantage point, and the nucleus of a city’s growth in more ways than one. Therefore, Fort Canning was made the seat of power for the Governors of Singapore. As such, areas around the foot of the hill was cleared extensively in the 1800s for development.

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Sir Stamford Raffles arrived in 1819 and saw in Fort Canning hill what previous rulers had recognised: a safe haven, a strategic vantage point, and the nucleus of a city’s growth in more ways than one. Therefore, Fort Canning was made the seat of power for the Governors of Singapore. As such, areas around the foot of the hill was cleared extensively in the 1800s for development.

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Vantage Point – Sir Stamford Raffles saw a safe and strategic location in Fort Canning Hill (source: National Museum of Singapore)

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The street was named High Street
because of its high topographical area and was not prone to flooding as other
areas in Singapore were then. It was the first street built in Singapore, and was
constructed in 1821 by manual convict labourers. High street later became a popular shopping paradise of the elite at the turn of the century until the 1970s. Some of the oldest buildings in Singapore still stand on this street.

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The street was named High Street
because of its high topographical area and was not prone to flooding as other
areas in Singapore were then. It was the first street built in Singapore, and was
constructed in 1821 by manual convict labourers. High street later became a popular shopping paradise of the elite at the turn of the century until the 1970s. Some of the oldest buildings in Singapore still stand on this street.

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High Street, together with     North Bridge Road and Hill Street, was constructed under the     direction of Lieutenant Henry Ralfe, Gunnery Officer of one of     the escort vessels that accompanied Raffles when he first     arrived. In 1821, it was the first street in Singapore to be     'macadamed' as against having tarmac on it. This was a     technique of sealing the road, named after its creator, McAdam,     a Scottish civil engineer. The technique involved a stone     hardcore base sealed with laterite. In 1831 Stephen Hallpike     opened a boarding house on the street. Hallpike, a blacksmith,     from 1836 to 1844 owned a boatyard along the stretch of river,     at the end of the street named after him. 

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High Street, together with     North Bridge Road and Hill Street, was constructed under the     direction of Lieutenant Henry Ralfe, Gunnery Officer of one of     the escort vessels that accompanied Raffles when he first     arrived. In 1821, it was the first street in Singapore to be     'macadamed' as against having tarmac on it. This was a     technique of sealing the road, named after its creator, McAdam,     a Scottish civil engineer. The technique involved a stone     hardcore base sealed with laterite. In 1831 Stephen Hallpike     opened a boarding house on the street. Hallpike, a blacksmith,     from 1836 to 1844 owned a boatyard along the stretch of river,     at the end of the street named after him. 

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Postcard with view of High Street from Fort Canning in 1903

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Postcard with view of High Street from Fort Canning in 1903

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Shortly after its construction, the street became the trading     ground for Northern Indian settlers such as Sindhis and Sikhs     who ran their family retail businesses and small department     stores for clothes, fabrics and jewellery. High Street     merchants were famous for their imported European textiles and     fine tailoring. It was THE place to go  until the 1970s     when the emergence of other shopping areas and Orchard Road,     took away much of the business and glamour of High Street. 

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Shortly after its construction, the street became the trading     ground for Northern Indian settlers such as Sindhis and Sikhs     who ran their family retail businesses and small department     stores for clothes, fabrics and jewellery. High Street     merchants were famous for their imported European textiles and     fine tailoring. It was THE place to go  until the 1970s     when the emergence of other shopping areas and Orchard Road,     took away much of the business and glamour of High Street. 

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Aurora Department Store in 1945, one of the many high-end stores on High Street during its heyday. The Supreme Court can be seen in the background.

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Many of Singapore's oldest Government buildings still stand at High Street today.

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Many of Singapore's oldest Government buildings still stand at High Street today.

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Old Parliament House was built in June 1827

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Old Parliament House today.