Singapore is now an energetic, industrious city-state. Its skyline, complete with skyscrapers, is
as modern-looking as that of any other vibrant, cosmopolitan city in Asia, Europe, or the US. But it was only after attaining independence in 1965 that
Singapore began to develop its infrastructure with any great speed.
This collection of postcard images reveal Singapore as it once was -- 50 to 100 years ago. Redevelopment and reclamation have claimed, or radically altered,
many of these sights. Sadly, there are fewer and fewer areas of Singapore where one can see the long stretches of classic
two-storey shophouse architecture for which the Lion City was once famous. Urban renewal, in the name of modernization, has not mean the redevelopment
of these area; more often it has meant the destruction of the old to make way for a glass-and-steel-and-air-conditioned new.
(The following images may be slow-loading on some systems. High-qualty JPEGs were used to enhance your viewing experience.)
