Down The History Lane
Northern Singapore
This section contains all you need to know about the history of major HDB estates in northern Singapore. Here are the links:
Woodlands
ETYMOLOGY:
Named after the rubber trees that grew in the area.
HOW IT LOOKED LIKE IN THE PAST:
Largely rubber plantations with poultry farms and villages.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
It used to be the only way to Johor via the causeway, and it was for this reason that Woodlands underwent development in 1823.
This is an old picture of the Woodlands causeway.
HDB flats in Woodlands in 1980.
This is an old picture of the Woodlands causeway.
Sembawang
ETYMOLOGY:
Said to have got its name from the Sembawang tree (Kayae ferruginea), which has been renamed Mesua ferruginea from 1980.
HOW IT LOOKED LIKE IN THE PAST:
Location of the Nee Soon rubber estate.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
The site of the former Singapore Naval Base when Singapore was a British colony. The military presence there started in 1940. Retreating British forces then partially destroyed the base during World War II to stop the Japanese from using the base. The base was then handed over to the Singapore government in 1968.
Yishun
ETYMOLOGY:
Former name was Nee Soon, named after a rubber tycoon and "pineapple king" Lim Nee Soon (born 12/11/1879, died 20/03/1936)
Yishun is the mandarin romanisation, as part of the government's campaign to switch from dialect to mandarin.
MORE ABOUT LIM NEE SOON:
Yishun, Yishun New Town, Nee Soon Private Residential Estate, Nee Soon Village, Nee Soon Road and Bah Soon Pah Road were named after him. Nee Soon was one of the pioneers that opened up Sembawang. Nee Soon served on the Rural Board from 1913 to 1921 and was also appointed a Justice of Peace. In the field of education, he was one of the founders of The Chinese High School and also a member of the Raffles College Committee. He was the President of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce for two periods, from 1921-1922, and 1925-1926.
HOW IT LOOKED LIKE IN THE PAST:
Yishun was built from forestland, with the first HDB flats in Chong Pang in 1976.
