The earliest mention of milestones in newspapers here dates back to 1843. According to map consultant Mok Ly Yng, COUNTING the system has its roots in the Roman Empire. Roads in Singapore were traditionally divided into miles and marked by milestones that had numbers carved onto their surfaces. THE MILES The starting point was the General Post Office − present-day Fullerton Hotel.

The junction between Woodlands and To get to Seletar Airbase, Choa Chu Kang Road is where the people would have given the mall Junction 10 is located today. address as Yio Chu Kang It was formerly known as Ten Mile Milestone 9. Junction. A station on the Bukit 19 20 Seletar Pier Panjang LRT Line is named after it. Johor Baru 18 15 16 16 17 Woodlands 14 The 14½ milestone 19 Cable Hut Kranji 15 16 Seletar 13 People would have accessed 14 in Jurong Road is 15 Tg. 18 14 the Matilda House through where the former 14 12 Seletar Punggol Punggol 9¼ milestone. Nanyang University Kg. K. Airbase 11 17 13 13 Seletar Kg. S. archway stands. 11 12 Pus Mandai 11 10 The area was also 14 13 12 Nee Soon 16 12 10 home to kilns and 10 Yio Chu Kang 9 brickworks. Changi 11 9 8 12 10 8 15 Bukit Panjang 9 14 11 8 10 Serangoon 13 Choa Chu Kang 12 11 7 11 14 13 7 12 16 15 7 7 10 13 12 9 9 12 13 6 6 6 8 Yan Kit 11 9 Paya Lebar 12 10 Kallang Huat 14 8 5 5 11 8 Bukit 6 Reservoir Paya Lebar Choe Timah 6 10 11 6 Wireless Station 9 12 16 15 5 4 4 5 7 8 Reformatory School 7 5 6 4 5 6 17 10 10 3 4 18 6 Wayang 3 3 4 Bedok 9 9 5 Satu 3 Holland 2 2 5 8 9 To get to the Singapore 2 4 5 7 8 4 2 4 6 8 6 53 Botanic Gardens, 3 2 7 6 5 3 2 1 Tg. Katong people would have Pasir Panjang 7 4 1 Tanjong Rhu directed drivers or 1 rickshaw pullers to 6 5 2 Buona Vista 4 1 the 3rd milestone in 3 Napier Road. 2 Victoria Dock Jardines Wharf Last year, a heritage enthusiast discovered what All roads led to the is likely to have been the last standing milestone General Post Office. in Singapore between Geylang Lorong 6 and 8.

ST GRAPHICS TEXT: MELODY ZACCHEUS, MOK LY YNG, NATIONAL HERITAGE BOARD SOURCE: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF SINGAPORE PHOTOS: AKAI CHEW, NEW NATION