Tamsui Cultural Park - Shell Warehouse Introduction
Tamsui MRT Station area was formerly known as "Bizi Head." After the opening of the Tamsui Harbor, western-style buildings and trading firms flourished. In addition to the five major trading companies—Baoshun, Deky, Shui Lu, Heji, and Yiji—the Jiashe Company was also among them. The oil storage facility and tanks of the Shell Company, located at No. 22, Bitou Street, originally served as the "warehouse of the British Jiashe Company." It is now used by the Tamsui Cultural Foundation and the Tamsui Community University. In the first year of the Tongzhi era (1862), the Tamsui Customs officially opened for business, and Tamsui Harbor quickly became the largest port in northern Taiwan, accounting for over 60% of the island's trade volume. Major exports included tea, coal, and camphor. The most famous sites include the residence of the British Baoshun Company and the oil storage facility of the Shell Company. A century later, most trading firms and warehouses have disappeared; however, the Shell warehouse was preserved due to property disputes and, under the efforts to protect the Tamsui River's landscape, it has been designated as a historical monument, representing the golden era of Tamsui's trading activities. It is now designated as a city historic site. The former British Jiashe Company warehouse (Tamsui Shell warehouse), designated as a historic site by New Taipei City, comprises four large warehouses, three smaller buildings, and the remains of oil tanks, covering an area of nearly 4,000 ping. It bears witness to significant historical moments such as the opening of Tamsui Harbor, the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, and the U.S. military bombardment of Taiwan during World War II. It is one of the few remaining trading firm warehouses in northern Taiwan and one of the few industrial heritage sites in Taiwan.
