The original Government House, which was built on Fort Canning in 1822 by Sir Stamford Raffles, was later demolished. The Government House (now known as the Istana) featured on the postcard was built in 1869 and designed by J.F.A. McNair. The building was renamed the Istana in 1959 and it became the official residence of the President. It was gazetted as a national monument in February 1992. Opened in 1887, the predecessor to the National Museum of Singapore today, the Raffles Library and Museum’s mission was to collect items of historical and archaeological value from the Eastern Archipelago and in particular from Singapore. The library and museum were eventually separated and renamed National Library and National Museum respectively. The Fullerton Building was opened on 27 June 1928 and named after Robert Fullerton, the first Governor of the Straits Settlements. One of its first tenants was the General Post Office. A unique feature of the post office is the underpass built beneath Fullerton Road to link the post office to the pier, which made the transportation of mail from the ship to the post office (and vice versa) more convenient and efficient.
