Rural roads in Singapore were traditionally divided into miles and marked by “milestones” (mile markers). These milestones were useful for the locals given the absence of recognisable landmarks and a clear system for addresses in many of the rural areas in Singapore during the late 18th-early 19th century. The earliest mention of milestones in local newspapers dates back to 1843. According to map consultant Mok Ly Yng, the system has its roots in the Roman Empire and the starting point was the General Post Office − present-day Fullerton Hotel. This “3milestone” was originally located near a coffeeshop at 208 Geylang Road and removed by LTA for road works. Made of sandstone and then granite, milestones were likely introduced by the British around the 1840s. They were usually about 2m in height, with about 35cm exposed above ground. The system was replaced in the 1970s by the metric one using kilometres and milestones were gradually removed.
