東沙鎮(zhen)(zhen)距縣城高亭鎮(zhen)(zhen)9.73公(gong)里(li)。海(hai)上(shang)交通便捷(jie)。清康熙(xi)時,定(ding)海(hai)知縣繆(mou)燧詳請投立山咀頭“泗州堂航(hang)(hang)船”開往(wang)定(ding)海(hai)、寧波。民國初有至定(ding)海(hai)、普陀、嵊(sheng)泗及各(ge)(ge)小島(dao)航(hang)(hang)船,抗日戰爭前后(hou)有“慈北(bei)”、“寧象”、“東海(hai)”、“小岱山”等20多(duo)艘客貨(huo)班輪航(hang)(hang)于(yu)定(ding)海(hai)、鎮(zhen)(zhen)海(hai)、寧波、溫(wen)州、上(shang)海(hai)、江(jiang)(jiang)陰、鎮(zhen)(zhen)江(jiang)(jiang)等地。解(jie)放后(hou)水陸交通日益(yi)發展,運(yun)輸船隊(dui)北(bei)往(wang)青島(dao)、大連,南達廈門、廣州、深圳、海(hai)南島(dao)等口岸(an)。陸上(shang)公(gong)路(lu)連接(jie)本島(dao)各(ge)(ge)鄉(xiang)鎮(zhen)(zhen),車(che)輛經輪渡可通往(wang)全(quan)國各(ge)(ge)地。
東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)建(jian)(jian)置(zhi)可(ke)上溯(su)到唐(tang)宋時期。隋(sui)以前無考。宋元豐(feng)元年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1078),岱(dai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)蓬萊(lai)(lai)鄉(xiang),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)屬(shu)之。元沿宋制。明洪(hong)武二十年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1387)廢昌國(guo)(guo)縣(xian)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)鄉(xiang),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)屬(shu)昌國(guo)(guo)鄉(xiang)。清康熙二十七年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1688)建(jian)(jian)置(zhi)定海縣(xian),鄉(xiang)一(yi)下設圖、岙(ao),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)屬(shu)于(yu)蓬萊(lai)(lai)鄉(xiang)念母涂岙(ao)。清道(dao)光(guang)二十一(yi)年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1841)鄉(xiang)以下改為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)莊,東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)屬(shu)于(yu)岱(dai)二莊。清光(guang)緒《定海廳志》始稱(cheng)(cheng)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)角鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。清宣統(tong)二年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1910)岱(dai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)建(jian)(jian)置(zhi)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)屬(shu)岱(dai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。民(min)(min)國(guo)(guo)二十三年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(1934)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)始建(jian)(jian)置(zhi)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1939年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)日寇侵入東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha),設“自治會”,內稱(cheng)(cheng)“東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)特別市”。1949年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)建(jian)(jian)立(li)滃洲(zhou)縣(xian),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)列為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)甲級鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1950年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)5月(yue)(yue)岱(dai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)解(jie)放后隸(li)屬(shu)定海縣(xian)岱(dai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)區(qu),建(jian)(jian)立(li)建(jian)(jian)制鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1953年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)4月(yue)(yue)建(jian)(jian)立(li)岱(dai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)縣(xian),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)縣(xian)政府駐(zhu)地(di),直至1956年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)1月(yue)(yue),稱(cheng)(cheng)直屬(shu)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1958年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)10月(yue)(yue)屬(shu)舟山(shan)(shan)(shan)縣(xian),改鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)人(ren)民(min)(min)公(gong)社(she)。1960年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)6月(yue)(yue)稱(cheng)(cheng)岱(dai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)人(ren)民(min)(min)公(gong)社(she)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)。1961年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)10月(yue)(yue)岱(dai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)區(qu),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)又名為(wei)(wei)(wei)(wei)公(gong)社(she)。1962年(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)(nian)4月(yue)(yue)回復(fu)岱(dai)山(shan)(shan)(shan)縣(xian),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)沙(sha)復(fu)稱(cheng)(cheng)鎮(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)(zhen)至今。
黨的十一屆(jie)三中全會以(yi)來,中共東沙鎮委、鎮政府堅持(chi)改革開(kai)放,發(fa)揮海(hai)(hai)島(dao)優(you)勢,積(ji)極調整產業結(jie)構,使古(gu)鎮東沙再次煥(huan)發(fa)出生機和活力。2011年浙江省舟山(shan)群島(dao)新區成立以(yi)來,中國唯一的海(hai)(hai)島(dao)古(gu)漁鎮——東沙古(gu)漁鎮迎來嶄(zhan)新的發(fa)展(zhan)機遇,以(yi)新的姿態跨入(ru)了(le)新的發(fa)展(zhan)紀元!