In the early twentieth century, Katong had a prominent landmark. Located in the coastal area was Kampong Amber. Some of the more notable buildings in the proximity includes the Chinese Swimming Club and the Mandalay Villa. It was a Malay fishing village (kampong) that used to exist in the area between East Coast Road and Amber Road. The inhabitants were mainly Peranakans and Malay fishermen. Kampong Amber was named after the Amber Road which it was adjacent to. Amber road was named after the family clan name of Joseph Aaron Elias, a prominent property owner in early-20th-century Singapore. During the industrialisation phase of Singapore in the 1970s and 1980s, Kampong Amber was not spared when kampongs were destroyed to give way for economic developments.