A little bit of history

If there is one place in Singapore where you can get everything in one experience, then Clarke Quay is it. It is a place where history, shopping and nightlife meet on the banks of the river. Even before Sir Stamford Raffles arrived in Singapore, the Singapore River was the centre of life on the island. Ruled over by the Sultan of Johor, the island and its river port remained a trading post until the arrival of the British, who were looking for a place to start their own colony that would challenge the Dutch and Portuguese in the region.

Clarke Quay was named after

Sir Andrew Clarke, Singapore's second Governor and
Governor of the Straits Settlements from 1873 to 1875, who played a key role in positioning Singapore as the main port for the Malay states of Perak, Selangor and Sungei Ujong.

Clarke Street, located next to Clarke Quay, was officially named in 1896, and was originally two streets known simply as East Street and West Street in north Kampong Malacca. Similar to Clarke Quay, Clarke Street has since been converted into a pedestrian mall.
The Hoklos (Hokkien) refer to Clarke Street as gi hok kong si au, meaning "behind the new Gi Hok Kongsi" (house). Small tongkangs carrying firewood from Indonesia berthed at this jetty.

Barge lighters used to transport cargo between Boat Quay and the warehouses at Clarke Quay.
The Singapore River has been the centre of trade since modern Singapore was founded in 1819. During the colonial era, Boat Quay was the commercial centre where barge lighters would transport goods upstream to warehouses at Clarke Quay.

At the height of its prosperity, dozens of bumboats jostled for mooring space beside Clarke Quay. The bumboats and lorries departed to their new home and Clarke Quay fell silent.
Clarke Quay Festival Village, the biggest conservation project for the Singapore River, was developed and officially opened on 10 December 1993. In later years, Clarke Quay was managed and owned by CapitaLand.




Notable restaurants and nightclubs include Hooters, Indochine and Ministry of Sound. River cruises and river taxies on the Singapore River can be accessed from Clarke Quay.
Clarke Quay MRT Station is located within the vicinity and a new SOHO concept development cum shopping centre called Central, above the MRT station, was completed in 2007.

-extracted and edited from: wikipedia and realdestination.com

Finally, to leave you with a lasting impression,

ENJOY! =D