The first bridge across the Singapore River, a wooden one called Presentment Bridge was constructed at this location in 1822. Its narrowness limited the number of people who could use it and a ferry service existed to facilitate the crossing. By the 1840's the road was constructed and the bridge divided it into North Bridge Road and South Bridge Road.

At the turn of the century, more business was done on the south of the bridge and hence South Bridge Road became known as 'Toa Po' [big town in Fujian] and North Bridge Road as 'Sio Po' [small town]. The bridge underwent reconstruction three times and the present Elgin Bridge, named after a former Viceroy of India was built in 1925.

This was once the only place where one could walk across the Singapore River - on a wooden drawbridge built in 1822. Officially called the Presentment Bridge, it was know as Jackson Bridge after Lieutenant Philip Jackson who built it. This very narrow bridge was also called Monkey Bridge, as it required some agility to get across.

In 1843, a wooden footbridge, built by John Turnbull Thomson replaced it, but this was demolished in 1862. A new iron bridge was built in 1862 and named after Lord James Bruce, the eighth Earl of Elgin who served as the Governor-General of India (1862 - 63). It is interesting to note that the bridge was built in less than a day, as it was prefabricated in Calcutta and assembled here. It was dismantled in 1925, but the name remained.

This new concrete Elgin Bridge opened to traffic on 30 May 1929. Its special features include medallions of the Singapore Lion and the elegant cast iron lamps designed by the famous Italian sculptor, Rudolfo Nolli. His signature is inscribed on the Singapore Municipality plague which can be found under the lamps.

Coleman Bridge is a vehicular bridge with the two-way traffic scheme linking Hill Street and New Bridge Road as well as linking Eu Tong Sen Street and Hill Street.

Coleman Bridge was the second bridge along the Singapore River after Elgin Bridge. Constructed in 1840, the brick bridge was designed by George Drumgold Coleman and had nine arches. It was the first bridge in Singapore to be built in masonry and was referred to as the New Bridge, lending its name to the road on its southern end - New Bridge Road.

The bridge was replaced first by a wooden one in 1865 and an iron structure in 1886. This iron bridge was considered one of the most attractive bridges spanning the Singapore River. It stood for about a century, but was unable to cope with the increasingly heavy traffic flow between New Bridge Road and Hill Street. The iron bridge was finally demolished in 1986 and replaced with the present bridge. However, several features of the iron bridge such as the decorative lamp posts and iron railings were incorporated into the current structure, in recognition of its historical significance.

ShuiXianMen (水仙門) is at the foot of Fort Canning Hill. The area includes Hill Street, part of North Bridge Road which is parallel to High Street, the Coleman Street which is between Hill Street and North Bridge Road, and High Street.

On the day taking these pictures, I met a group of tourists riding on bicycles. The assistant tourist guide told me that they were from the Druthers Biking Singapore. That was the first time I saw sightseeing on bicycle.