Penang Then And Now: 35 Photos That Show How Much Has Evolved In The Past Century
From one of the region's first trading ports to home of a UNESCO heritage site, Penang manages to preserve its old-world charm despite having had massive changes in its landscape.
By Samantha Khor — 11 Sep 2015, 11:47 AM
1. Campbell Street
Campbell Street in the early 20th century photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Campbell Street in 1975 photo from RS Murthi's Facebook.
Campbell Street in 2014 photo by David Tan via The Star Online.
2. Hutton Lane
Hutton Lane in 1971 photo by williewonker via Flickr.
Hutton Lane in 2013 photo by kayes via PenangTalk.
3. Chulia Street
Chulia Street in the early 20th century photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Chulia Street in 2012 photo by WiLL.
4. Boston Bar, a popular bar in the '50s and '60s at the junction of Penang Road and Prangin Road
Boston Bar photos by Anthony E. Catherall.
5. Chowrasta Market from the Penang Road entrance
Chowrasta Market in 1910 photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Chowrasta Market in the 1950s photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Chowrasta Market in the 1960s photo from Penang Monthly.
Chowrasta Market in 2010 photo from Panoromio.
6. KOMTAR
KOMTAR under construction in the early 1980s photos from Jesus Goh's Facebook.
KOMTAR in 2011 photo by WiLL.
7. Craven Cafe in Jalan Dato Keramat
Craven Cafe in 1953 photo from Jamal Othman's Facebook.
Craven Cafe in 1991 photo by williewonker via Flickr.
Craven Cafe in 2008 photo by frossonice via BlogSpot.
8. Queen's Theatre and later, Old Cathay Theatre along Penang Road is now a Mydin wholesale emporium
Queen's Theatre in the 1930s and Cathay Theatre in the 1980s photos from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Mydin Wholesale Emporium in 2012 photo from Asambackpacker01's blog.
9. Odeon Theatre on Penang Road
Odeon Theatre in 1957 photo from Awesome Penang.
Odeon Theatre in the 1990s photo from [Jamil Othman's Facebook](
Iswaria Veenai Odeon in the early 2000s from Cinema Online.
PG Odeon in 2009 photo from goldenshahab via Panoromio.
Odeon: The Visitor Gallery in 2015 photo from PenangLang.
10. Majestic Theatre at the corner between Khoo Sian Ewe Road and Phee Choon Road
Majestic Theatre in 1990 photos from The Southeast Asian Movie Theater Project.
Abandoned Majestic Theatre building in 2009 photo by Sean Soon Photography via Flickr.
Restored Majestic Theatre building - to be used as a modern theatre for performances and exhibitions - in 2014 photo by David Tan via The Star Online.
11. The Rex Cinema building in Burmah Road has been taken over by Mekio Home Furnishing
Rex Theatre in 1990 photo from The Southeast Asia Movie Theater Project.
Mekio Home Furnishing in 2012 photo by Timothy Tye.
12. Burmah Road
Burmah Road in 1981 photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Burmah Road in 1981 photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Burmah Road in 2014 photo by Hasnoor Hussain via The Malaysian Insider.
13. From Penang Race Course to St. George's Girls' School in Macalister Road
Penang Race Course in the early 20th century photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
St. George's Girls' School in the 1950s photo from Fun Penang via Pinterest.
St. George's Girls' School in 2012 photo from Lisan al-Din via BlogSpot.
14. Reclining Buddha Temple (Wat Chayamangkalaram) at Lorong Burma, Pulau Tikus
Wat Chayamangkalaram photo in 1969 by willie wonker via Flickr.
Wat Chayamangkalaram photo in 2013 from Wonderful Malaysia.
15. Homestead Mansion, located along Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, now houses the campus of Wawasan Open University
Homestead Mansion photo in 1978 by williewonker via Flickr.
Wawasan Open University photo in 2011 by Henry M. Trotter.
16. Pitt Street, where Masjid Kapitan Keling is located
Masjid Kapitan Keling in 1953 photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook
Masjid Kapitan Keling in 1978 photo from RS Murthi's Facebook
Masjid Kapitan Keling in 2014 photo by Dean Wickham.
17. E&O Hotel at Lebuh Farquhar
E&O Hotel photo in 1900s by Jamil Othman's Facebook.
E&O Hotel photo in 1991 by williewonker via Flickr.
E&O Hotel photo in 1991 by Wrinkled Chiffon.
18. St Xavier's Institution at Lebuh Farquhar
St. Xavier's Institution in 1857 and 1940 photos from the Archive of St. Xavier's Insitution.
St. Xavier's Institution in 2012 photo by WiLL.
19. Penang Supreme Court at Light Street
Supreme Court in the early 20th century photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Supreme Court in the present day photo from Asia Explorers.
20. Penang City Hall at Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah, overlooking Padang Kota Lama
Penang City Hall in 1906 photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Penang City Hall in 2011 photo from Wikimedia Commons.
21. Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower (Jubilee Clock Tower) and roundabout at the junction of Light Street and Beach Street
Roundabout in 1968 photo from RS Murthi's Facebook.
Clock Tower and roundabout in 2004 photo by Akmal Hizam.
Clock Tower and roundabout in 2014 photo from Travels With My Wife.
22. Weld Quay
Weld Quay in the early 20th century photo from Jesus Goh's Facebook.
Weld Quay in the 1960s photo from Jamal Othman's Facebook.
Weld Quay in the present day photo from Around Penang Tips.
23. Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim in Butterworth (formerly known as Mitchell Pier)
Mitchell Pier in the early 20th century photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Mitchell Pier in 1964 photo from RS Murthi's Facebook.
Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim in 2012 photo by Mustafa Ahmad via The Star Online.
24. Beach Street
Beach Street in the early 20th century from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Beach Street in 2012 photo by the-bowies via Flickr.
25. Ban Hin Lee Bank, later Southern Bank on Beach Street, now houses CIMB Bank
Ban Hin Lee Bank in the 1930s photo from ssquah via BlogSpot.
Southern Bank in the 2000s photo from Wikimedia Commons
CIMB Bank in 2013 photo from Wong Chun Wai via The Star Online.
26. Shanghai Hotel at Gurney Drive, now No. 1 Gurney Condominiums
Shanghai Hotel photo in the 1960s from Tan Khai Beng's Facebook.
Gurney Drive No. 1 Condominium photo from Properties188.
27. Gurney Drive
Gurney Drive in the early 20th century, 1930, 1970s, and 1990s from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Gurney Drive in
Gurney Drive in 2010 photo by WiLL
28. Casuarina Hotel, presently Hard Rock Hotel
Casuarina Hotel in 1974 photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Hard Rock Hotel in the present day photo from Agoda.
29. Jelutong Road
Jelutong Road in the early 20th century from Wong Chun Wai.
Jelutong Road in 2013 photo by Zhafaran Nasib.
30. Penang Free School at Jalan Masjid Negeri
Penang Free School in the 1930s photo from royalsportsclub via Flickr.
Penang Free School in 2005 photo by Timothy Tye.
31. Air Itam Village, with Kek Lok Si Temple in the background
Air Itam Village in 1950s/1960s photo from Delcampe.net.
Air Itam Village in 2015 photo from YesNomads.
32. Chung Ling High School in Air Itam
Chung Ling High School in the 1960s photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Chung Ling High School in 2010 photo from journey26.com.
33. Penang Hill Base Station
Penang Hill Base Station in 1964 photo from RS Murthi's Facebook.
Penang Hill Base Station in 2012 photo from Zakir Hossain via Panoromio.
Penang Hill Base Station in 2014 photo from Akrosdayunibers.
34. Penang International Airport, formerly known as Bayan Lepas International Airport
Penang Airport in the 1970s photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Penang Airport in 2013 photo from Georgetown Penang Heritage Site.
35. Snake Temple in Bayan Lepas
Snake Temple in the 1960s photo from Jamil Othman's Facebook.
Snake Temple in the 1970s photo from Rifle Range Boy.
Snake Temple in 2013 photo from Sacchan's.