東(dong)沙(sha)鎮距縣(xian)城(cheng)高亭鎮9.73公(gong)里。海(hai)(hai)上(shang)交通(tong)(tong)便捷。清康熙時,定(ding)(ding)海(hai)(hai)知縣(xian)繆(mou)燧詳請投(tou)立(li)山咀頭“泗(si)州堂(tang)航船(chuan)”開(kai)往(wang)(wang)定(ding)(ding)海(hai)(hai)、寧(ning)波。民國(guo)初有至(zhi)定(ding)(ding)海(hai)(hai)、普(pu)陀、嵊泗(si)及各(ge)小島(dao)(dao)航船(chuan),抗(kang)日(ri)戰(zhan)爭前后有“慈北(bei)”、“寧(ning)象”、“東(dong)海(hai)(hai)”、“小岱山”等(deng)20多(duo)艘客貨班輪(lun)(lun)航于定(ding)(ding)海(hai)(hai)、鎮海(hai)(hai)、寧(ning)波、溫(wen)州、上(shang)海(hai)(hai)、江(jiang)陰、鎮江(jiang)等(deng)地。解放后水陸(lu)交通(tong)(tong)日(ri)益發(fa)展,運(yun)輸船(chuan)隊北(bei)往(wang)(wang)青島(dao)(dao)、大連,南達廈門、廣(guang)州、深圳、海(hai)(hai)南島(dao)(dao)等(deng)口岸(an)。陸(lu)上(shang)公(gong)路(lu)連接本島(dao)(dao)各(ge)鄉鎮,車輛經輪(lun)(lun)渡(du)可通(tong)(tong)往(wang)(wang)全國(guo)各(ge)地。
東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)建(jian)置(zhi)可上溯到唐宋(song)時期。隋(sui)以前無(wu)考。宋(song)元(yuan)(yuan)豐(feng)元(yuan)(yuan)年(nian)(nian)(1078),岱(dai)(dai)山為(wei)(wei)(wei)蓬(peng)萊(lai)鄉,東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)屬(shu)(shu)之。元(yuan)(yuan)沿宋(song)制。明洪武二(er)十(shi)年(nian)(nian)(1387)廢(fei)昌(chang)國縣(xian)(xian)(xian)為(wei)(wei)(wei)鄉,東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)屬(shu)(shu)昌(chang)國鄉。清康熙(xi)二(er)十(shi)七(qi)年(nian)(nian)(1688)建(jian)置(zhi)定海(hai)縣(xian)(xian)(xian),鄉一下(xia)設圖、岙,東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)屬(shu)(shu)于蓬(peng)萊(lai)鄉念母涂岙。清道光二(er)十(shi)一年(nian)(nian)(1841)鄉以下(xia)改為(wei)(wei)(wei)莊(zhuang),東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)屬(shu)(shu)于岱(dai)(dai)二(er)莊(zhuang)。清光緒《定海(hai)廳志》始(shi)稱(cheng)(cheng)東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)角鎮(zhen)(zhen)。清宣統二(er)年(nian)(nian)(1910)岱(dai)(dai)山建(jian)置(zhi)為(wei)(wei)(wei)鎮(zhen)(zhen),東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)屬(shu)(shu)岱(dai)(dai)山鎮(zhen)(zhen)。民國二(er)十(shi)三年(nian)(nian)(1934)東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)始(shi)建(jian)置(zhi)為(wei)(wei)(wei)鎮(zhen)(zhen)。1939年(nian)(nian)日(ri)寇侵入東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha),設“自治會”,內(nei)稱(cheng)(cheng)“東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)特別市”。1949年(nian)(nian)建(jian)立滃洲(zhou)縣(xian)(xian)(xian),東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)列(lie)為(wei)(wei)(wei)甲級鎮(zhen)(zhen)。1950年(nian)(nian)5月(yue)(yue)(yue)岱(dai)(dai)山解放(fang)后(hou)隸屬(shu)(shu)定海(hai)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)岱(dai)(dai)山區(qu),建(jian)立建(jian)制鎮(zhen)(zhen)。1953年(nian)(nian)4月(yue)(yue)(yue)建(jian)立岱(dai)(dai)山縣(xian)(xian)(xian),東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)為(wei)(wei)(wei)縣(xian)(xian)(xian)政(zheng)府駐地,直(zhi)至(zhi)(zhi)1956年(nian)(nian)1月(yue)(yue)(yue),稱(cheng)(cheng)直(zhi)屬(shu)(shu)鎮(zhen)(zhen)。1958年(nian)(nian)10月(yue)(yue)(yue)屬(shu)(shu)舟山縣(xian)(xian)(xian),改鎮(zhen)(zhen)為(wei)(wei)(wei)東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)人(ren)(ren)民公(gong)社(she)(she)。1960年(nian)(nian)6月(yue)(yue)(yue)稱(cheng)(cheng)岱(dai)(dai)山人(ren)(ren)民公(gong)社(she)(she)東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)鎮(zhen)(zhen)。1961年(nian)(nian)10月(yue)(yue)(yue)岱(dai)(dai)山為(wei)(wei)(wei)區(qu),東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)又名為(wei)(wei)(wei)公(gong)社(she)(she)。1962年(nian)(nian)4月(yue)(yue)(yue)回復岱(dai)(dai)山縣(xian)(xian)(xian),東(dong)(dong)沙(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)(sha)復稱(cheng)(cheng)鎮(zhen)(zhen)至(zhi)(zhi)今(jin)。
黨的十一屆三(san)中(zhong)(zhong)全(quan)會以(yi)來,中(zhong)(zhong)共東沙(sha)鎮(zhen)委、鎮(zhen)政府堅持改(gai)革開放,發揮海(hai)島優勢(shi),積極調整產(chan)業結構,使古(gu)鎮(zhen)東沙(sha)再次煥發出生機和活力。2011年浙江省舟山群(qun)島新(xin)區成立以(yi)來,中(zhong)(zhong)國唯一的海(hai)島古(gu)漁鎮(zhen)——東沙(sha)古(gu)漁鎮(zhen)迎來嶄新(xin)的發展(zhan)機遇,以(yi)新(xin)的姿態跨入了(le)新(xin)的發展(zhan)紀(ji)元!