東沙(sha)鎮距縣城高亭鎮9.73公里(li)。海(hai)上交(jiao)通便(bian)捷。清(qing)康熙時,定(ding)海(hai)知縣繆燧詳請投立山(shan)咀(ju)頭“泗(si)州堂航(hang)船”開往定(ding)海(hai)、寧波。民國(guo)(guo)初有(you)至(zhi)定(ding)海(hai)、普陀、嵊泗(si)及(ji)各小島(dao)(dao)航(hang)船,抗日戰爭前后(hou)有(you)“慈(ci)北”、“寧象”、“東海(hai)”、“小岱山(shan)”等(deng)20多艘客(ke)貨班輪航(hang)于定(ding)海(hai)、鎮海(hai)、寧波、溫州、上海(hai)、江陰(yin)、鎮江等(deng)地。解放后(hou)水陸(lu)交(jiao)通日益(yi)發展,運輸船隊北往青島(dao)(dao)、大連,南達廈門(men)、廣州、深(shen)圳(zhen)、海(hai)南島(dao)(dao)等(deng)口岸。陸(lu)上公路連接本島(dao)(dao)各鄉鎮,車輛經輪渡(du)可(ke)通往全國(guo)(guo)各地。
東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)建(jian)(jian)置(zhi)可(ke)上(shang)溯到唐(tang)宋時期。隋以(yi)前無考。宋元(yuan)豐元(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1078),岱山(shan)(shan)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)蓬萊(lai)鄉(xiang),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)屬之。元(yuan)沿宋制(zhi)。明洪武二(er)(er)十年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1387)廢昌(chang)國(guo)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)鄉(xiang),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)屬昌(chang)國(guo)鄉(xiang)。清(qing)(qing)康熙二(er)(er)十七年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1688)建(jian)(jian)置(zhi)定海縣(xian)(xian)(xian),鄉(xiang)一下(xia)設(she)圖、岙(ao),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)屬于(yu)(yu)蓬萊(lai)鄉(xiang)念母(mu)涂(tu)岙(ao)。清(qing)(qing)道光二(er)(er)十一年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1841)鄉(xiang)以(yi)下(xia)改為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)莊,東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)屬于(yu)(yu)岱二(er)(er)莊。清(qing)(qing)光緒《定海廳志》始(shi)(shi)稱(cheng)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)角(jiao)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。清(qing)(qing)宣統(tong)二(er)(er)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1910)岱山(shan)(shan)建(jian)(jian)置(zhi)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)屬岱山(shan)(shan)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。民國(guo)二(er)(er)十三(san)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(1934)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)始(shi)(shi)建(jian)(jian)置(zhi)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1939年(nian)(nian)(nian)日寇侵(qin)入東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha),設(she)“自治會(hui)”,內稱(cheng)“東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)特別市(shi)”。1949年(nian)(nian)(nian)建(jian)(jian)立(li)滃(weng)洲縣(xian)(xian)(xian),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)列為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)甲級(ji)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1950年(nian)(nian)(nian)5月(yue)岱山(shan)(shan)解放后隸屬定海縣(xian)(xian)(xian)岱山(shan)(shan)區,建(jian)(jian)立(li)建(jian)(jian)制(zhi)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1953年(nian)(nian)(nian)4月(yue)建(jian)(jian)立(li)岱山(shan)(shan)縣(xian)(xian)(xian),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)政府駐(zhu)地,直(zhi)至1956年(nian)(nian)(nian)1月(yue),稱(cheng)直(zhi)屬鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1958年(nian)(nian)(nian)10月(yue)屬舟(zhou)山(shan)(shan)縣(xian)(xian)(xian),改鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)人民公社。1960年(nian)(nian)(nian)6月(yue)稱(cheng)岱山(shan)(shan)人民公社東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1961年(nian)(nian)(nian)10月(yue)岱山(shan)(shan)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)區,東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)又名為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)公社。1962年(nian)(nian)(nian)4月(yue)回復岱山(shan)(shan)縣(xian)(xian)(xian),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)復稱(cheng)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)至今。
黨的(de)十一屆三中(zhong)全會以來,中(zhong)共東(dong)沙(sha)(sha)鎮委、鎮政(zheng)府堅持改革開放,發(fa)(fa)揮海島(dao)優勢,積極調整產(chan)業結構,使古(gu)鎮東(dong)沙(sha)(sha)再次煥發(fa)(fa)出生機(ji)和活力。2011年(nian)浙江(jiang)省舟(zhou)山群島(dao)新(xin)區成立以來,中(zhong)國唯一的(de)海島(dao)古(gu)漁(yu)鎮——東(dong)沙(sha)(sha)古(gu)漁(yu)鎮迎來嶄新(xin)的(de)發(fa)(fa)展機(ji)遇,以新(xin)的(de)姿態跨(kua)入了新(xin)的(de)發(fa)(fa)展紀元(yuan)!