I have always been a lover of all things colorful! So I had to write about this beautiful & colorful area of Singapore – Clarke Quay. Named after Sir Andrew Clarke, one of the very first governors of Singapore. Clarke Quay is a place where you can relax and enjoy a lazy afternoon, take a stroll along the banks of the Singapore river in the evening or have amazing food at the numerous restaurants and bars that the Clarke Quay is home to. It is a must visit for a beautiful view of Singapore River and area surrounding it.
Clarke Quay is a historical riverside quay in Singapore, located within the Singapore River Planning Area. The quay is situated upstream from the mouth of the Singapore River and Boat Quay.
Clarke Quay was named after Sir Andrew Clarke, Singapore's second Governor and Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1873 to 1875, who played a key role in positioning Singapore as the main port for the Malay states of Perak, Selangor and Sungei Ujong.
Clarke Quay is also the name of a road along the quay, part of which has since been converted into a pedestrian mall. Clarke Street, located next to Clarke Quay, was officially named in 1896, and was originally two streets known simply as East Street and West Street in north Kampong Malacca. Similar to Clarke Quay, Clarke Street has since been converted into a pedestrian mall.
Clarke Street is known in Hokkien as Gī-hok Kong-si āu (義福公司后), lit. 'behind the Gi Hok Kongsi'. The new Gi Hok Kongsi was near Carpenter Street. Another Hokkien name, which only refers to the Southern bank around Read Bridge area, is Chhâ-chûn-thâu (柴船頭), lit. 'jetty for boats carrying firewood'. Small tongkangs carrying firewood from Indonesia berthed at this jetty. The firewood trade was primarily a Teochew enterprise.
The Singapore River has been the centre of trade since modern Singapore was founded in 1819. During the colonial era, Boat Quay was the commercial centre where barge lighters would transport goods upstream to warehouses at Clarke Quay.
At the height of its prosperity, dozens of bumboats jostled for mooring space beside Clarke Quay. This continued well into the later half of the 20th century. By this time, the Singapore River had also become very polluted. The government decided to relocate cargo services to a new modern facility in Pasir Panjang. The bumboats and lorries departed to their new home and Clarke Quay fell silent.
The government then cleaned up the Singapore River and its environment from 1977 to 1987. Plans were made to revamp the area and turn it into a flourishing commercial, residential and entertainment precinct. These plans took into serious consideration the historical value of Clarke Quay, making it mandatory that new buildings complement the historical character of the area and that certain old buildings be restored.