An idyllic coastal area spanning Upper East Coast Road and Tanjong Rhu, old Tanjong Katong (literally meaning Turtle Point in Malay) was originally designated as a marine yard by colonial planners in the 1820s. However, by the 1860s it had developed into the preferred area for the wealthy to build their luxurious seaside residences. It was also home to a sizeable Malay rural community that had settled there since the 1820s, following pressure from the British administration to move away from their original settlements located at prime sites near the Singapore River.
