East Point, Hong Kong
Encyclopedia
East Point was a cape
on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island
, Hong Kong
. It was a pointed headland that extended from Jardine's Hill, i.e. Lee Garden
towards the Kellett Island
. It marked the eastern limits of the early City of Victoria. The piece of land separated Causeway Bay
in the east and the bay outside Happy Valley
. Streams and muds from Tai Hang
and Wong Nai Chung (now buried beneath Canal Road
) shaped the headland.
Two sides of the cape were reclaimed over a hundred years. The first stage was in the mid-19th century. The east of the cape was reclaimed to the edge of Victoria Park
and the west to Hennessy Road
. The second stage was between World War I
and World War II
. Its west was reclaimed to Gloucester Road
. The shape of the cape was mostly lost. For the construction of Cross Harbour Tunnel, further reclamation extended the land to Kellett Island and the cape was completely buried.
Physically, the Causeway Bay Station of the MTR
and World Trade Centre
are built on the body of East Point. Windsor House and Paterson Street falls on its first stage reclamation. The above two areas were referred to as East Point, while to its west was Ngo Keng. Much of the land of East Point was in the hands of Jardine-Matheson. Swire once had a sugar refinery
in Sugar Street
.
Large scale reclamations make the geographic feature and division less obvious. Causeway Bay originally referred to the circular tung lo-shaped bay. It also referred to the east shore of the bay, i.e. the present-day area in Tin Hau Station. It gradually replaced East Point as the name of that area. The name East Point is still found in East Point Road and East Point Centre.
Cape (geography)
In geography, a cape or headland is a point or body of land extending into a body of water, usually the sea.A cape usually represents a marked change in trend of the coastline. Their proximity to the coastline makes them prone to natural forms of erosion, mainly tidal actions. This results in capes...
on the northern shore of Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. It was a pointed headland that extended from Jardine's Hill, i.e. Lee Garden
Lee Garden
Lee Garden is a hill south of East Point and west of Causeway Bay on the Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong, approximately the area between Percival Street, Hennessy Road and Leighton Road. It was also known as Jardine's Hill or East Point Hill.In early 19th century, the land of East Point, including...
towards the Kellett Island
Kellett Island
Kellett Island is a former island off East Point in Hong Kong. It is now connected to Hong Kong Island at Causeway Bay following land reclamation in 1969....
. It marked the eastern limits of the early City of Victoria. The piece of land separated Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay
Causeway Bay is a heavily built-up area of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, located on the Hong Kong Island, and covering parts of Wan Chai and Eastern districts. The Chinese name is also romanized as Tung Lo Wan as in Tung Lo Wan Road...
in the east and the bay outside Happy Valley
Happy Valley, Hong Kong
Happy Valley is a mostly residential suburb of Hong Kong, located in the northern part of Hong Kong Island. Administratively, it is part of Wan Chai District....
. Streams and muds from Tai Hang
Tai Hang
Tai Hang is an area southeast of Causeway Bay located in the mid-north of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The area is mainly residential.-Geography:...
and Wong Nai Chung (now buried beneath Canal Road
Canal Road, Hong Kong
Canal Road East , Canal Road West and the Canal Road Flyover are important roads in Wan Chai and Causeway Bay, Wan Chai District of Hong Kong....
) shaped the headland.
Two sides of the cape were reclaimed over a hundred years. The first stage was in the mid-19th century. The east of the cape was reclaimed to the edge of Victoria Park
Victoria Park, Hong Kong
Victoria Park is a public park in Hong Kong, named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. It is located in Causeway Bay, on the north of Hong Kong Island, between Causeway Bay and Tin Hau MTR stations...
and the west to Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road
Hennessy Road is a thoroughfare on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. It connects Yee Wo Street on the east in Causeway Bay, and Queensway on the western end in Wan Chai.The road is named after John Pope Hennessy, the Governor of Hong Kong between 1877 and 1882....
. The second stage was between World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Its west was reclaimed to Gloucester Road
Gloucester Road, Hong Kong
Gloucester Road is a major road in Hong Kong. It is in the north of Wan Chai and East Point on Hong Kong Island. It connects to Harcourt Road at its western end and it ends east along west side of Victoria Park. It forms part of Hong Kong's Route 4 and connects to the Island Eastern Corridor via...
. The shape of the cape was mostly lost. For the construction of Cross Harbour Tunnel, further reclamation extended the land to Kellett Island and the cape was completely buried.
Physically, the Causeway Bay Station of the MTR
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
and World Trade Centre
World Trade Centre (Hong Kong)
The World Trade Centre was the name of one of the portfolio of buildings developed in Hong Kong by Jardines through its property development arm, Hongkong Land, and is also connected via passageway to its neighbour, The Excelsior It has since been sold to Sun Hung Kai Properties...
are built on the body of East Point. Windsor House and Paterson Street falls on its first stage reclamation. The above two areas were referred to as East Point, while to its west was Ngo Keng. Much of the land of East Point was in the hands of Jardine-Matheson. Swire once had a sugar refinery
Sugar refinery
A sugar refinery is a factory which refines raw sugar.Many cane sugar mills produce raw sugar, i.e. sugar with more colour and therefore more impurities than the white sugar which is normally consumed in households and used as an ingredient in soft drinks, cookies and so forth...
in Sugar Street
Sugar Street
Sugar Street is a street located in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. From 1866 to 1868, it was the location the Hong Kong Mint, the only mint in Hong Kong....
.
Large scale reclamations make the geographic feature and division less obvious. Causeway Bay originally referred to the circular tung lo-shaped bay. It also referred to the east shore of the bay, i.e. the present-day area in Tin Hau Station. It gradually replaced East Point as the name of that area. The name East Point is still found in East Point Road and East Point Centre.