1. The Civic District used to be a lot smaller

The original shore line of Singapore lay at the edge of the Padang (at the current Connaught Drive) and along the edges of the Singapore Cricket Club and Singapore Recreation Clubhouse buildings. Land reclamation in 1843, 1890, 1922, 1970s expanded the area to encompass what is now Esplanade Park, The Esplanade and Clifford Pier.

2. The Padang used to have three names

Which of these do you like better than Padang: Cantonment Plain, Raffles Plain or simply The Plain? The Padang is not the only landmark with a revised name. Connaught Drive was previously known as New Esplanade Road and the Asian Civilisations Museum was the Empress Place Building and before that, it went by the very officious, if dull name of, Government Offices.

3. Cavenagh Bridge was nearly Edinburgh Bridge

Sir Harry Ord, the governor at the time, wanted to name it Edinburgh Bridge after the Duke of Edinburgh’s visit to Singapore. That did not happen as Singapore councilors decided it should honour the name of the last Governor appointed to Singapore by the East India Company, Sir Orfeur Cavenagh.

4. Anderson Bridge was once a terrible place to pass

Look carefully at the steel columns of the bridge when you walk pass. It was where the heads of beheaded spies would be hung by the Japanese forces during the Japanese Occupation.

5. St Andrew’s Cathedral was lightning bait

The first St Andrew’s Church was built by architect George Drumgold Coleman but was later demolished in 1852 because the building was deemed “dangerous”. Lightning conductors were forgotten in the construction. As a result, the spire was twice struck by lightning in 1845 and 1849. It was rebuilt as a cathedral from 1856 to 64 in Gothic style.

6. Monuments were either moved or disappeared

See the pretty Tan Kim Seng fountain at the Esplanade Park? It did not used to be there. Instead, it stood at Fullerton Square and was relocated to its current spot in 1925. Meanwhile, the Indian National Army Monument, which was built during the Japanese Occupation with Japanese support, to honour the soldiers who had died in fighting for independence in India, was promptly destroyed by the triumphant returning British forces two months after it was completed. It was resurrected as a historic site marker in 1995.

7. We first watched TV at Victoria Memorial Hall

Even before Television Singapura was launched at Victoria Memorial Hall in 1964, Singapore had its first sight of television when a full length variety show on television was presented at Victorial Memorial Hall at the annual Philips Radio Convention in 1957. Yep, we did not watch TV again until seven years later from that convention.