From the late Ming Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty, people from China immigrated across the Taiwan Strait to come and start cultivating land in Taiwan. Because of the convenience of irrigation and land fertility, most started their farms along riversides, and as such the earliest stages of Sansia’s development was along the Dahan, Heng and Sanxia Rivers. From there, development gradually moved inland toward the mountains.

Because the mountain areas in Sansia are large, the pioneers took to planting daqing (a plant used for its dyeing properties), and this was complemented by tea plantations, since the climate was agreeable to its growth. The area was also home to rich stocks of camphor, and so in the earliest periods of Sansia’s growth, camphor, dyed cloth, and tea were the primary products.

During Qianlong, more and more immigrants from Anxi moved to Sansia and formed the triangle pour village. At the same time, Sanjiaoyong Street, the first street of Sansia (is now called Minquan Old Street), formed its rudiment.

Sanjiaoyong as a distributing center during the late Qing Dynasty, the three major industries were boiling camphor, dyeing cloth, and making tea. The locals made use of the ramification of the waterways, sent the products everywhere in Taiwan and even exported to other countries. During the golden age of Sanjiaoyong, more than 60 ferries came and went. The village streets were busy and flourishing.

In 1895, the Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed, and then the Japanese army landed on Taiwan. The defense of Sanjiayong volunteers fought back and killed hundreds of Japanese soldiers. Soon after that, Japanese army burned streets and killed in revenge, so Sanjiaoyong village and Zushi Temple were reduced to ashes and rebuilt again at the beginning stage of Japanese colonial rule. At the middle stage of colonial rule, Japanese started to mine and lumber. Mining and lumbering, therefore, became the sunrise industries. Meanwhile, blue-dyeing industry was replaced by western-style clothes and cloth stores. In 1916, Japanese officials carried out the regular street layout, which formed the face of today’s Minquan Old Street and built up easy and convenient railroads as the main transportation. As colonial rule came to an end, Japanese officials started the Kominka movement. The landmark of Sansia, Hong Bridge, was completed at the same time. The age of water transport was terminated, and the industries in Sansia village gradually became basic living consumption.

After the recovery of Taiwan, Sansia village became a town. The belief center of Sansia, Zushi Temple was rebuilt again by the artist, Professor Li Mei-Shu. Because of the unique and delicate building techniques, Zushi Temple gains the fame, Art Palace of the East. Besides the sacred religious atmosphere, Zushi Temple also possesses precious artistic value.

Near the mountains and by the rivers, Sansia Old Street is one of the longest old streets in northern Taiwan. It is a scarce complete traditional street with historical value. Sansia Old Street generally refers to the southern section of Minquan Street and is about 200 meters long. The buildings have stood since the earliest period of the Republic of China. Various words on the building fronts represent surnames, names, and shop names, and their signages are very different from today’s. The buildings are equipped with magnificent verandahs, which are the most impressive parts of the buildings along this street. Their decorated archways are rich in culture and they play a valuable role in reminding people of the need to preserve historical relics. The outer walls of the buildings are built with red brick, while the inner walls were made of clay. The outer parts of the buildings are decorated with a variety of patterns, and in particular the second-floor windowsills, making them all more beautiful. There are many with traditional Chinese patterns, animal motifs, and even foreign patterns. Opposite Minquan Street is Daughter Wall, a smaller wall known for its unique styling, featuring solid, hollow, and framed styles of decoration.

明末清初，渡海來臺開墾的移民，坐著船沿淡水河，逐漸往上游大漢溪畔的三峽地區開墾，形成村落。人們為了取水及灌溉方便，大都住於水邊，所以三峽最早開發的地區是橫溪、三峽溪、大漢溪附近，後來因所住侷限才漸往山地發展。

三峽因山區範圍龐大，先民耕種之餘，上山伐木、採藤、燒炭，且三峽近山產大菁（可製作染料），又有清澈的三峽溪水，故由淡水河運進布匹，造就了染布業之發展，早年三峽老街的商店就以染布業為最多。後來有外國人發現三峽地區的山地很適合種茶，又有天然資源樟樹，於是人們開始種茶及製作樟腦，染布、茶、樟腦為三峽過去最大的物產。

清乾隆年間，安溪移民入墾者漸增，於是有「溪聚落」形成，三峽的第一條街「三角湧街」（即現今民權老街）也在此時初具雛型。

晚清的三角湧以熬樟腦、製茶及染布為主要產業，並以三角湧街為集散中心，利用河道縱橫的夙富水利，將貨品運送至全台各地，甚至外銷他國，在極盛時期往來船隻達六十艘之多，市街景象繁榮。

清光緒二十一年（西元一八九五年），簽訂馬關條約，日軍登台後，首遭三角湧義軍抵抗，殲滅日軍數百人，隨後遭日軍焚街燒殺報復，三角湧街庄及祖師廟皆在此時付之一炬，於日治初期再度於廢墟中重建。日治中期，日人開始開採煤礦與木材，成為三峽新興工業。 此時的染布業也因洋服、西服及布行代之而日漸衰頹。大正五年（西元一九一六年），推行「街區改正」工作，形成今日民權老街現存的立面，並建設輕便鐵道作為主要文通工具。 日治晚期，日人大力推展皇民化運動，三峽著名地標－三峽拱橋，也在此時期落成，水運時代自此宣告結束，三峽街庄的交易逐漸轉變成基本的民生消費。

台灣光復後，改制為三峽鎮，三峽人的信仰中心－長福巖清水祖師廟由藝術家李梅樹教授主持改建，由於建造技術匠心獨具，精雕細琢，造就了祖師廟「東方藝術殿堂」的美名，使祖師廟在莊嚴的宗教氣息中，增添珍貴的藝術價值。

三峽老街依山傍水，為台灣北部最長老街之一，其騎樓連續拱圈，三拱排樓面富含巴洛克式風格，為台灣少數完整且具歷史價值之傳統街區。 三峽老街建築從民國初年留存至今。房子上的刻字這些字或代表姓氏、姓名、行號或店名；而商家的店家匾額框大都刻著堂號、店號或姓氏，和現在的商店掛招牌的方式不一樣。不同造型的山牆樓面突出的部份，通常中間部份較高，兩側較矮，傳統稱為「山牆」或「牌樓」。山牆上的圖形裝飾尚有寓意，如花瓶象徵「平安」的意思，八卦是為了避邪。 建築材料的不同老街屋的正面以紅磚為主要材料，水泥粉光則是近年整建所用的材料，房子內的牆壁則是以土埆堆砌而成。多采的裝飾紋路在房頂的突出部份，以及二樓的窗台下方有各種的紋樣，有動物紋、中式紋樣、外國紋樣，看起來更美麗。 獨具特色的女兒牆指民權街正面上方加蓋的小牆，有實心、鏤空和加裝匾額框等做法。