Balestier Road, name after Joseph Balestier, the first American consul in Singapore, is famous for its Tau Sa  Piah, Bak Kut Teh. light fitting shops and budget hotels.

Balestier Road is a street located in the Kallang Area of the Central Region, running from Serangoon Road to Thomson Road junction. It was named after Joseph Balestier, the first American Consul in Singapore, an enterprising and perservering gentleman, who also owned a large but not too successful sugar-cane plantation known as the Balestier plantation.History
The area was originally swampy ground before the road was made. Lined with two-storey shophouses adorned with highly decorative ceramic tiles and ornately carved walls, the road was nicknamed Recreation Road because of the many recreational clubs that stood along the short stretch between Tessensohn Road and Moulmein Road. It included the Civil Service Club, Singapore Indian Association, Singapore Khalsa Association, Singapore Chinese Recreation Club and Ceylon Sports Club. After the Moulmein point, Balestier Road veers right till it connects and meets Thomson Road at a junction. Two excellent Chinese temples are sited on this road, namely Tua Peh Kong and Sun Tye Kee.

Variant Names
Chinese names:
(1) In Hokkien, oh kio means “Black Bridge”.
(2) In Cantonese, wu-hap thong refers to “Taro Pond”. There were plantations of this vegetable in the Balestier Road neighborhood.
(3) In Hokkien, Go-cho toa-peh keng refers to “Rochore Temple” where Go-chois a transliteration of Rochore.

Indian Name:
In Tamil, Thannir Kampam refers to “The water kampong” as water was drawn from this are and sold in town.
 

Author
Vernon Cornelius

In the recent years, many new condominium high rise have been constructed tucked behind the main road. New and old buildings juxtapose together reflect the development over the decades.

There are some websites worth exploring if you would like to find out more about Balestier:

http://www.moulmein.org.sg/ : Up to date  information about various grassroots organisations and activities. The website also features links to many interesting articles on various places of interest in Moulmein.

 http://hdbterrace.gigi.sg/ : An interesting community blog on Jalan Bahagia HDB terrace housing, off Whampoa Road by a resident named Gigi. She is a great blogger, exploring the life, amenities and food in the area.

If you are interested in Balestier’s intriguing history and on-going matters, you are welcome to join us at the Facebook to get yourself connected!