Discover Balestier’s Rich History & Lesser-known Stories
THE REFRESHED BALESTIER HERITAGE TRAIL IS ONE OF 18 HERITAGE TRAILS LAUNCHED BY NHB AS PART OF ITS ONGOING EFFORTS TO DOCUMENT AND PROMOTE THE HISTORIES AND MEMORIES OF DIFFERENT AREAS IN WHICH SINGAPOREANS LIVE, WORK AND PLAY.
Balestier is known for its food and lighting shops, but did you know that it has also served as an important medical hub since the 1860s? The healthcare institutions in Balestier tended to the wounded in World War II, played a pivotal role in treating and controlling the tuberculosis outbreaks in the 1950s and SARS in 2003, and trained generations of medical students.
The significant role Balestier has played in Singapore’s healthcare history is a part of the new offerings of the refreshed Balestier Heritage Trail.
UPDATED INFO
The Balestier Heritage Trail was first launched in 2006 and has been updated to provide a fuller picture of the area’s heritage, including its lesserknown history. The trail’s physical boundaries have been expanded beyond the immediate Balestier precinct to parts of the neighbouring Novena area and now include various healthcare institutions, clubs and associations, former country homes, former industries and public housing estates. As a result, the trail now features 30 new sites and three new trail markers, bringing the total number of sites and markers to 56 and 16 respectively. These are divided into three thematic routes that allow people to explore different facets of Balestier.
“We will continue to enrich the content of our existing trails such as the Balestier Heritage Trail by featuring new content, offering thematic trail experiences and soliciting community contributions,” stated Mr Alvin Tan, Assistant Chief Executive (Policy & Community), NHB. “In doing so, we hope that people will be encouraged to venture off the well-trodden path laid out by the previous trail and rediscover Balestier’s heritage anew.”
COMPREHENSIVE NARRATIVE
The refreshed Balestier Heritage Trail is the result of a year-long process of research, in-depth interviews, and public calls for contributions of images and memories. In this latest refresh, the expansion of the trail’s boundaries and the addition of 30 new heritage sites has resulted in the most comprehensive picture of Balestier to date, including a greater focus on its contributions to Singapore’s healthcare history.
The story of Balestier can be traced from its origins as a plantation in the 1840s, to its development into a residential neighbourhood, where shophouses, country homes, religious and healthcare institutions were established.
The area is named after Joseph Balestier, the first American Consul to Singapore, who owned a large sugarcane plantation there. After the plantation’s decline and his departure, the colonial government took over the land and
divided it into plots for purchase by the public to meet the needs of the growing population. This led to the development of Balestier as a residential precinct with its own medical facilities, educational institutions, industries and employment opportunities, and food and lifestyle offerings.
NEW HIGHLIGHTS
Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) was the first hospital established by the community in 1847 at Pearl’s Hill and it catered to people of all classes and races, before moving to Balestier in 1860. It played a vital role in providing medical care for tuberculosis patients in the 1950s and has nurtured generations of medical professionals who lived and worked at the old TTSH nurses’ quarters, including Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir. TTSH’S former pavilion wards trace their beginnings to 1909, and have a unique architectural design based on an idea by wellknown British nurse Florence Nightingale, which called for greater air circulation and good lighting for the benefit of patients.
AVIATION HISTORY
The very first commercial flight to Singapore – a Royal Dutch Air Service (now KLM) – landed in Balestier in 1927, en route to Jakarta. The landing field, on Balestier Plain, proved to be too short for aircraft to take off from and was converted into a sports field. It continues to be used for sports by clubs and associations along the road, including the Singapore Indian Association, whose foundation stone was laid by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1950, and the Ceylon Sports Club, reputed to have the best cricket ground in Singapore.
ARTISANS’ QUARTERS
Balestier was where the first public housing estate built by the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) under the British colonial rule was located. Built in 1932, the Lorong Limau estate consisted of low-rise units called Artisans’ Quarters. The flats generated public interest as they were built using a new prefabricated design that allowed them to be completed in just three months. These quarters were redeveloped in the 1970s into Housing & Development Board flats. The Rayman Market, part of another housing estate in Balestier built by SIT in 1948, is now the popular Whampoa Makan Place.
THEMATIC TRAILS AND TECHNOLOGY
Three thematic walking trails cater to different interests and allow trail-goers to experience Balestier in a more bite-sized and accessible manner. The three thematic trails are:
Road is a 45-minute introductory route to the area’s history and heritage, presenting key historical landmarks that have shaped Balestier Road. (1.7km)
explores in 90 minutes the places of worship, traditional food trades, and landmarks that tell the story of when Balestier was at the heart of the golden age of Malay cinema. (2.3km)
highlights, over two hours, the architectural diversity of Balestier and features shophouses, temples and other buildings which give Balestier its unique and colourful character. (3km)
GUIDE & MAP
The Balestier Heritage Trail’s companion guide and map are available in four languages and can be downloaded from NHB’S heritage portal, Roots.sg. Hard copies of the companion guide can be picked up at the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall.