Ipoh

The capital city for the state of Perak, Ipoh has a rich history to be seen and learn. Name after a tree, Ipoh started as village near Kinta River. The Mountain City experiance rapid development due to rich tin deposit found nearby in 1880s. While suffering from The Great Fire of Ipoh which devasted half of the town in 1892, the town is undetered and continued to be develop until becoming the second largest town in Federated Malay State in 1895. With the booming of tin mining industry in 1920s and 1930s, this City of Millionares is expended from the eastern bank of Kinta River to Greentown. In 1937, the capital city of Perak was moved to Ipoh replacing Taiping. It remain as the capital city of Perak through out World War 2. Following the depletion of tin deposit and the collapse of tin price in 1970s, Ipoh experiance state of decline and neglect. Most of its urban population are force to seek work from other city. Despite that, this Bougainvillea city is still one of largest city in Malaysia with tourism driving its economy. With its rich history, Ipoh are bound to have few building that  is old as the city itself such as:

Straits Trading Company Building

Straits Trading Company Building was a three-storey building eracted in 1907 at Station Road in Ipoh. It houses the Straits Trading Company, a tin smelter company, in late 1907. In June 1911, Hongkong & Shanghai Bank rent a space in the building before moving to their own building in 1931. 

Anderson School Building

located at Douglas Road, this building is the first Anderson School Building. Designed by the FMS Architectural Assistant Director of Public Works Office, Brigadier General Arthur Benison Hubback, it has ten classroom and a large hall on the first floor for student assamble. 

Central Fire Station

After The Great Fire of Ipoh in 1892, the chinese community in the city is spurred to organize thier own fire brigade. The Central Fire Station located on Brewster Road was completed in 1913 are equiped with quarters for a superintendent and 14 fire fighter. In 1936, The fire station is enlarged by adding second storey to the existing building. This fire station has been the Headquarters of the Fire and Rescue Department until 1992. It then houses the Kompleks Majuperak, a joint venture company between Perak State Development and Urban Development Authority. 

Anglo-Chinese School Main Building

The main Building of Anglo-Chinese School is a Edward-style building with a prominent quoining was build and open in 1914. it is a landmark that was build parallel to the Lahat Road. The building was designed by Mr C.H. LaBrooy and cost $93,000 to be build. A government grant of $25,000 was obtained by Rev Horley to assist in the completion of the building. The formal opening was on 30th March 1914 by Sir Arthur Handerson Young. 

First Custom-Built Masonic Lodge Angus

Designed and supervised by architech C. H. LaBrooy, this building was build on donated land near Maxwell Road by W. J. Caldwell. The foundation stone for this building was laid on 1st April 1911 by Worshipful Brother A. R. Adams assissted by Worshipful Master F. B. Sewell, Bros Spinks and W. J. Caldwell. Thier first regular meeting was held on 3rd February 1912 and last until 1st July 1921. At which point the building is leased to the govenrment as Supreme Court. In 1929, The Building was temporarily used by the Anderson School as Standard 1 and 2 Classes due to overcrowded in the Douglas Building. The Building then become the administrative office for Perak Education Department. 

FMS Hotel and Bar Second Building

The oldest hotel and bar in Ipoh, FMS Hotel and Bar move to this building at Brewster Road in 1923. A very popular places for European planters and miners, this establishment has Western movie-style swing door, a L-shaped bar with big fridge, a Victorian pendulum clock and abacus rattling at the end of the bar. It also had three curtained cubicles for people wish for dinner. 

Hongkong & Shanghai Bank Building

This magnificent classical style building was once the tallest building in Perak. The building show a classical three division of the base, piano nobile or main storey and attic floor. Each division is to different style with the base being arcaded, the main storey defines by a series of bays and the attic is emphaseized by double band of cornices enclosing the row of panel windows. The Hongkong & Shanghai Bank officially open this building located on the corner of Belfield Street and Hale Street in 1931. It was officially open by the Sultan of Perak at that time. 

Odeon Theater

located at Brewster Road, This Theater is designed by Berthel Michael Iversen for Towkay Foo Yinn Fong. It was built in 1930s and was originally name as Rex Theater. in 1939, The theater was turn into a Shaw Brother's Cinema. During the Japanese Occupation, the theater is called as Ipoh Bunka Eiga Gekijo and primarily used for documentaries and propaganda. After the War, the theater was renovated and leased to Cathay organisation under the named Odeon Theater. In early 50s,, suites in the third floor were rented out to YWCA and Paloh Club among other tenants. Somewhat triangular in design and adjacent to St. Micheal Catholic Graveyard, the theater is rumored to be haunted. This is added by the practice of regularly opening the door facing the graveyard by the management under the name of conservation of energy. By this time the theater can sitted 850 movie goer at a time. In 1971, the theater is further renovated and eliminated the practice of opening the door. The theater closed it door on 1986 and become a nightclub after that. It suffered a major fire in 2007 but remain standing though no longer in use. 

Ruby Theater

Ruby Theater was design by Berthel Micheal Iversen and build by the mining entrepreneur Lau Ek Ching. It was to e leased to Ong Ee Lim, an experience in motion picture.The theater was opened on 4 October 1938 by Sir G. E. Cator, the Perak British Resident at that time. The opening film at that was Rosalie, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's musical extravaganza.

Cathay Theater

Cathay Theater was a beautiful single-screen theater designed by Berthel Micheal Iversen and built in late 1956. It opened in 31 August 1957 with movie 'The King and I'. The theater feature a 2 lobby with normal front lobby and second side lobby. It has 1174 seating capacity with 798 seat at downstairs portion and 376 in the balcony. The Cathay has long been closed due to cineplex cinema complex with fewer seat per screen 

The Task

To log this cache you need to:

1. Choose FOUR (4) or more of the 10 buildings shown above
2. take a photo for each of the selected buildings with its distinct feature
3. The Photo must include yourself, part of yourself OR any item that definitely belong to you.
4. CAPTION the photo with the buildings name OR add name of the building in the log using the name given in the description
5. Add the photos to the log.

If the log does not have enough photos it will be deleted. Have fun exploring Ipoh

Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025

This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.