History of AMK Town

Did you know?

Aside from being one of Singapore's oldest satellite towns, Ang Mo Kio was the first town to be designed in a metric system, which was later adapted for other towns. The design of the town even won the Singapore Institute of Architects' Outstanding Buildings Award in 1993. Development of AMK began in 1973 and was completed in 1980, although current developments continue to make AMK one of the best and most accessible hometowns in Singapore to live in.

Fun fact: AMK has 10 avenues, but Ave 7 is missing. 

Another reason why residents love it so much here is because it is a self-contained town centre - you do not need to ever leave this town as it has almost everything. Commercial offices, cultural and community facilities, healthcare, and of course great food. Few other towns can boast of the same.

The name Ang Mo Kio literally translates into "red-haired man's bridge", with ang mo being a term used to describe the Caucasians. Until today, the history of the town's name remains debatable. Many of the older folk say it was named after John Turnbull's bridge, which is now the junction of Upper Thomson and Ang Mo Kio Ave 1. No one really knows.

Working in AMK during the olden days

Many of the immigrant Chinese who came to AMK in the early years were involved in rubber production, as Cheng San Village used to be a large rubber plantation. The slump in rubber prices during 1922 - 1932 caused many to turn to farming instead. During World War II, many people moved to AMK to take up poultry farming or market gardening.

You can read more about AMK's history at this link!