東沙鎮(zhen)距縣城高亭鎮(zhen)9.73公(gong)(gong)里。海(hai)(hai)上交通便捷(jie)。清(qing)康(kang)熙(xi)時,定海(hai)(hai)知縣繆(mou)燧(sui)詳請投立(li)山(shan)咀頭(tou)“泗州堂航船(chuan)”開往(wang)定海(hai)(hai)、寧波。民國(guo)初有至定海(hai)(hai)、普陀、嵊泗及各小(xiao)島(dao)(dao)航船(chuan),抗日(ri)戰(zhan)爭前后(hou)(hou)有“慈(ci)北”、“寧象(xiang)”、“東海(hai)(hai)”、“小(xiao)岱山(shan)”等20多(duo)艘客貨班輪(lun)航于定海(hai)(hai)、鎮(zhen)海(hai)(hai)、寧波、溫州、上海(hai)(hai)、江(jiang)(jiang)陰、鎮(zhen)江(jiang)(jiang)等地(di)。解放后(hou)(hou)水陸交通日(ri)益發(fa)展(zhan),運輸船(chuan)隊北往(wang)青(qing)島(dao)(dao)、大(da)連(lian),南(nan)達廈門、廣州、深(shen)圳、海(hai)(hai)南(nan)島(dao)(dao)等口岸(an)。陸上公(gong)(gong)路(lu)連(lian)接本島(dao)(dao)各鄉鎮(zhen),車(che)輛(liang)經輪(lun)渡可(ke)通往(wang)全國(guo)各地(di)。
東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)建(jian)置可上溯到唐宋(song)時期(qi)。隋以前無考。宋(song)元(yuan)(yuan)豐(feng)元(yuan)(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(1078),岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)(shan)為(wei)(wei)蓬萊鄉(xiang),東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)屬(shu)之。元(yuan)(yuan)沿宋(song)制。明(ming)洪武二(er)十年(nian)(nian)(1387)廢昌(chang)國(guo)縣為(wei)(wei)鄉(xiang),東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)屬(shu)昌(chang)國(guo)鄉(xiang)。清(qing)(qing)康熙二(er)十七年(nian)(nian)(1688)建(jian)置定海(hai)縣,鄉(xiang)一下(xia)設圖、岙,東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)屬(shu)于(yu)蓬萊鄉(xiang)念母涂(tu)岙。清(qing)(qing)道光二(er)十一年(nian)(nian)(1841)鄉(xiang)以下(xia)改為(wei)(wei)莊,東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)屬(shu)于(yu)岱(dai)(dai)(dai)二(er)莊。清(qing)(qing)光緒(xu)《定海(hai)廳志》始稱(cheng)東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)角鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。清(qing)(qing)宣統二(er)年(nian)(nian)(1910)岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)(shan)建(jian)置為(wei)(wei)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen),東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)屬(shu)岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)(shan)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。民(min)國(guo)二(er)十三年(nian)(nian)(1934)東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)始建(jian)置為(wei)(wei)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1939年(nian)(nian)日寇侵入東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha),設“自(zi)治會(hui)”,內(nei)稱(cheng)“東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)特(te)別市”。1949年(nian)(nian)建(jian)立(li)滃洲縣,東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)列為(wei)(wei)甲級(ji)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1950年(nian)(nian)5月(yue)(yue)岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)(shan)解(jie)放后隸(li)屬(shu)定海(hai)縣岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)(shan)區,建(jian)立(li)建(jian)制鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1953年(nian)(nian)4月(yue)(yue)建(jian)立(li)岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)(shan)縣,東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)為(wei)(wei)縣政府(fu)駐地,直(zhi)至1956年(nian)(nian)1月(yue)(yue),稱(cheng)直(zhi)屬(shu)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1958年(nian)(nian)10月(yue)(yue)屬(shu)舟山(shan)(shan)縣,改鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)為(wei)(wei)東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)人民(min)公(gong)社(she)。1960年(nian)(nian)6月(yue)(yue)稱(cheng)岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)(shan)人民(min)公(gong)社(she)東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1961年(nian)(nian)10月(yue)(yue)岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)(shan)為(wei)(wei)區,東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)又名為(wei)(wei)公(gong)社(she)。1962年(nian)(nian)4月(yue)(yue)回復岱(dai)(dai)(dai)山(shan)(shan)縣,東(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)復稱(cheng)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)至今(jin)。
黨(dang)的(de)十一(yi)屆三中全會以來,中共東(dong)沙鎮(zhen)(zhen)委、鎮(zhen)(zhen)政府堅持改革開放,發(fa)(fa)揮海(hai)島(dao)(dao)優勢,積極調整產業結構(gou),使古鎮(zhen)(zhen)東(dong)沙再(zai)次煥發(fa)(fa)出生機和活(huo)力。2011年浙江省舟山(shan)群島(dao)(dao)新(xin)(xin)區成立以來,中國唯一(yi)的(de)海(hai)島(dao)(dao)古漁鎮(zhen)(zhen)——東(dong)沙古漁鎮(zhen)(zhen)迎來嶄新(xin)(xin)的(de)發(fa)(fa)展機遇,以新(xin)(xin)的(de)姿(zi)態(tai)跨入了新(xin)(xin)的(de)發(fa)(fa)展紀元!