Boat Quay Developed in the early 1820s as a public quay, the area was originally a swampy bank reclaimed with earth taken from a small hill at modern- day Raffles Place. Before the opening of New Harbour (Keppel Harbour) in the 1850s, Boat Quay and Clarke Quay, further up- river, were the main port areas on the banks of the Singapore River. The name Boat Quay originally referred to both banks of the Singapore River: North Boat Quay abutted River Valley Road, and South Boat Quay was closer to the old Ellenborough Market. Godowns, warehouses, and shophouses were built all along both North and South Boat Quay. Shophouses dominated the mid- river section along the two quays. The area was gazetted for conservation in 1989.
During the 1990s, the Urban Redevelopment Authority began transforming the area. Shophouses were sold, refurbished and adapted for reuse. Today, Boat Quay is the name of the southern quay. It is now a pedestrian- only strip bustling with restaurants, pubs, cafés, clubs, fast- food outlets and coffee shops.
Photo credit: National Archives of Singapore